Metro Spirit 11.27.2003

METRO SPIRIT Nov. 27-Dec. 3 Vol. 15 No. 17

Augusta’s Independent Voice

AUGUSTA TODAY, TOMORROW AND YESTERDAY

BY STACEY EIDSON

3 Barry Koenig Photography Bistro 491 Ronald W. Bowers, DDS Calvert’s Restaurant Charleston Street Gardens

festive...

Chico’s Coconuts Nightlife Coco’s Cabana Curves for Women

magical... cozy...

Design Images & Gifts Dot Holland’s Elements Fashion Plate Fetch Dog Treats French Market Grille Gentry Men’s Shop House of the Bride Jancys Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Main & Taylor Shoe Salon Merry Times Pickles & Ice Cream PJ’s Coffee & Tea Cafe

Fun!

Posh Tots Children’s Boutique Rivers & Glen Trading Co. Rugs of Distinction Simply Irresistible Soho Surrey Center Pharmacy

Spread holiday cheer with help from Surrey Center.

With almost 50 shops and restaurants, we’re Augusta’s premiere center for shopping, dining, and fun!

Surrey Tavern Susan’s Sweetbrier Fair Talbots The Toy Box TravelMasters Sports & Entertainment

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Contents Metro Spirit

5

City living at its best.

N O V. 2 7 - D E C . 3 • F R E E W E E K LY • M E T R O S P I R I T. C O M

ON THE COVER

Augusta Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday By Stacey Eidson

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. . . . . . . . . . .21

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Cover Design: Erin Lummen Cover Photo: Brian Neill

Opinion Whine Line .............................................................. 6 Words ..................................................................... 6 This Modern World ..................................................6 Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down ......................................8

Enterprise Mill’s lofts feature soaring ceilings, fantastic views, and the most unique living experience Augusta has to offer. We have many floor plans and a host of amenities to enhance your life.

Metro Blue Lights on Broad Street ...................................14 Welcome Back, Paul Gamsby.................................18

ENTERPRISE MILL founded 1848 1450 Greene Street • Augusta, Ga 30901 • 706.262.4001 Within walking distance of MCG and the medical complex www.enterprisemill.com

Bite

Mai Thai Offers a Few Surprises ............................28 D. Timm’s Jazz Cafe .............................................29

Events

8 Days a Week .....................................................33

Arts Augusta Symphony Plus Broadway Singers — Bravo!....................................................................40 Holiday Music by Augusta Opera and Tuesday’s Music Live .............................................................42 Davidson Fine Arts Wins Theatre Competition ........44

Music

R.E.M.’s Peter Buck Waxes Nostalgic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

CHURCH OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY

Movie Listings ......................................................46 Review: The Missing ..............................................48 Review: Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat ....................49 Movie Clock ..........................................................50

Music

A Decade of Donation for Rocking the Stocking.........30 R.E.M.’s Peter Buck Waxes Nostalgic .....................51 Music by Turner ......................................................52 Music Minis ............................................................54 Night Life ...............................................................55

News of the Weird ................................................58 Brezsny's Free Will Astrology ................................59 New York Times Crossword Puzzle .......................59 Amy Alkon: The Advice Goddess ...........................60 Date Maker ...........................................................61 Classifieds ............................................................63

“Georgia’s Oldest Catholic Church” Located in Downtown Augusta Corner of 8th and Telfair Streets

Cinema

Stuff

M E T R O

Schedule of Liturgies:

EDITOR & PUBLISHER David Vantrease ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Rhonda Jones STAFF WRITERS Stacey Eidson, Brian Neill ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Joe White ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Kriste Lindler PRODUCTION MANAGER Joe Smith GR APHIC ARTISTS Stephanie Bell, Natalie Holle, Erin Lummen ACCOUNTING MANAGER/CLASSIFIEDS Sharon King ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ASSISTANT Lisa Jordan SENIOR MUSIC CONTRIBUTOR Ed Turner CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Amy Alkon, Rob Brezsny, Amy Fennell Christian, Rachel Deahl, Chuck Shepherd CARTOONISTS Tom Tomorrow

METRO SPIRIT is a free newspaper published weekly on Thursday, 52 weeks of the year. Editorial coverage includes ar ts, local issues, news, enter tainment, people, places and events. In our paper appear views from across the political and social spectrum. The views do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers. Visit us at www.metrospirit.com. Copyright © Metro Spirit, Inc. Reproduction or use without permission is prohibited. Phone: (706) 738-1142 Fax: (706) 733-6663 E-mail: spirit@metrospirit.com Letters to the Editor: P.O. Box 3809, Augusta, Ga. 30914-3809

Phone: 706.722.4944 Fax: 706.722.7774 www.themostholytrinity.org

Daily Mass: Mon-Fri 12:15 PM Sat 10:00 AM Sunday Mass: Vigil 5:00 PM 7:45 AM, 10:00AM & 12:30 PM Reconciliation 3:30-4:30 PM Sat Miraculous Medal Novena following Monday’s 12:15 PM Mass Solemn Exposition & Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament following Thursday’s 12:15 PM Mass-4PM Daily Rosary Mon-Fri following daily Mass

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Whine Line F

act: 50 percent of ninth graders enrolled in Harlem High will not graduate. Although that at first concerned me, I just wanted to say thank you to all those kids’ parents for continuing to pay their property taxes in a timely fashion and freeing up space for my kids to get a first-rate education.

For those parents who have “home schooled scholars.” It’s 10 a.m.: Do you know where your cherub is?

Could you please put the judicial center on Walton Way at the former gas plant?

It’s all cleaned up and ready to go.

For the life of me, I know Bob Young has no vote, but can anyone tell me where he stands on any of the issues facing this city? If I was new to this city, I would swear Andy Cheek was the mayor.

I think next year, instead of buying Augusta Lynx season tickets I will get a part-time job with the Civic Center. That way, it saves me $400 and I can watch the entire game from ice level below section 105.

The ACLU has far outlived its usefulness. The ACLU now is taking away more individual liberties than it has restored. Today’s Americans are more educated than ever. We can take care of ourselves.

So the Johnson people were insulted by that TV movie that put LBJ behind the “Kennedy assassination conspiracy.”

Truth hurts. I mean, who had the most to gain from the Kennedy assassination?

Columbia County continues to spend piles of sales tax money on the acquisition of new facilities. This has been going on for many, many years. All during this time, the cost of operation and maintenance (O&M) on these facilities has been paid from property taxes,

whereas the acquisition is a one-time expense. O&M is an ever-increasing tax passed on to property owners. When are our planners and elected officials going to say enough is enough? Perhaps they should look at ways to tax occupied cemetery lots.

Columbia County Commission Chairman Ron Cross promised to look at keeping property taxes flat as a campaign issue, but the taxes continue to go up. Has Cross been to an optometrist? Obviously this was a ploy to aid his election efforts: say anything to get elected and then do whatever you want.

To the person that feels that young people don’t have a work ethic, I’m only 23 myself and I’m employed full-time as well as being a full-time student and a full-time mom. You say that I don’t know the meaning of work: Would you care to explain to my employer or my daughter what it is I do everyday?

Why can’t the school bus that picks up kids from the apartments on Berckmans Road go into the complex instead of backing traffic up for 20 minutes while 30 kids decide to amble up and get on?

Seems like it would be safer for the kids and a heck of a lot less frustrating for those of us trying to get to work.

Re: “Let’s Show James Brown Some Respect.” If there’s one thing that I will never forget about this wonderful performer, it is his most generous donations of holiday turkeys. Now that’s kindness.

The recent choice by the commission to place the courthouse on the existing CSX rail line goes against any basic urban planning logic. If this is how the first $75 million installment of the special purpose local option sales tax money is going to be spent, I say vote “no” on SPLOST.

Words “I was quoted in the newspaper yesterday making a remark that I’m not very proud of. I did make the remark. I made it in regards to the judicial center ... And I want to publicly apologize to my colleague, Marion Cheek — I mean, Marion Williams. I got it close. But I hope you accept my apology.”

— Augusta Commissioner Bill Kuhlke at a recent budget meeting of the Augusta Commission, apologizing for remarking to The Augusta Chronicle that Augusta Commissioner Marion Williams was “a damn stupid idiot” for his stance on where a future judicial center should be located.

Marion Cheek?

Who’s the stupid idiot now?

Well, Rush Limbaugh is back after a month of rehab for addiction to prescription drugs. I hope he will be cured but, unfortunately, he is still the egotistical, racist, male chauvinist he has always been. I predict he won’t have to pay a penny in fines or spend a day in jail for illegally obtaining his drugs.

I noticed, at the swearing in ceremony of Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor of California, that there were present five governors from Mexico and 14 diplomats from foreign countries, one being from Austria, his home country. I wonder what these diplomats and governors are up to?

Are they going to be asking him for something from California later on? It will be interesting to note.

It will be interesting to see if they are going to come up with a pharmacy plan for seniors. I doubt they will ever come up with a medicine plan for seniors that will ever be affordable.

To the person that called ASU students lazy for complaining about parking: you obviously didn’t attend ASU and you probably haven’t attended any other colcontinued on page 8

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That a gas-electric hybrid car has been awarded Motor Trend magazine’s 2004 Car of the Year Award.

Among other things, the Toyota Prius won accolades for its comfort level and phenomenal gas mileage of 60 mpg in the city.

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Chevrolet, or any other manufacturer, it’s good news that such a fuel–efficient model has made the prestigious pick by the magazine. Hopefully, it’s a sign that more resource-conscious transportation choices will be available to the public in the future.

Thumbs Down The recent visit by the Aiken Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Services to a Warrenville elementary school was a joke and a waste of students’ time.

The visit, as reported by The Augusta Chronicle, involved Aiken Center staff placing goggles on fourth-graders to distort their vision and let them see what it felt like to be drunk.

Of course, as the article mentioned, all this was met by giggles, especially as

students watched some of their own teachers stumble around.

This might make the typical fourthgrader think, “Wow. Being drunk looks like a lot of fun.”

If you want to put kids off alcohol, take them to visit the local drunk tank.

Show them footage of horrendous accidents caused by drunk drivers. But don’t play silly games to justify your agency’s budget.

People foolish enough to take weightloss advice from Dr. Phil.

Dr. Phil? Have any of you taken a good look at this guy?

continued from page 6 lege to compare it to, either. At the University of Georgia, I paid $200 a semester for a guaranteed parking spot and it was worth every penny. The problem is not walking distance; it’s finding the spot in the first place in time for class. It shouldn’t be too much to ask.

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Thumbs Up

News Flash! Columbia County commissioners are getting a new logo for the county after rejecting one submitted by a PR firm. I hope we didn’t pay for the reject. How much stationary, how many business cards and signs do we have on hand, all to be tossed out? We are asking the citizens to design the next version for perhaps a $100 prize, if our elected dolts can find the money. Now tell me again how great the leadership is? Just an overflow from Augusta.

An example of the Hollywood agenda: I bought the movie “Finding Nemo” for my grandchildren. Nemo’s father is explaining to the sharks how divers have taken his son. The shark says, “I hate humans” and another one says “Must be Americans, they think they own everything.” The problem with that line is, in the movie, they are off the coast of Australia, but they naturally blame the Americans — you and me. This is a little

kid’s movie and they put their left wing radical agenda in it to brainwash our kids.

This is regarding all of the whines posted in last week’s Spirit regarding Laurie Ott’s piece on Linda Schrenko. First of all, let me start off by saying that I didn’t see it: I prefer not to watch WRDW news because I feel that it is the poster child for yellow journalism and is a prime example of why I don’t watch local news, period. But, what I can say is that, judging from what I have seen in the past, between “Why your kids shouldn’t listen to Eminem” and “My daughter dresses like Britney Spears,” there really isn’t anything to give Laurie Ott praise over. Her topics are tired, and here’s a tip Channel 12: if you want to win over viewers, stop taking pointers from Jerry Springer. Your news is pure garbage.

We were told recently by the commission we were going to have to pay to tie into the water line and the county is going to try to get grants to help out. The new county ordinance gives us about 90 days to come up with several thousands of dollars. Where are people, especially in South Richmond County, expected to come up with that kind of money? This is not an option; it is a county ordinance. continued on page 10

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continued from page 8 The county could have given us more time. I have a friend in McDuffie County, and they are always doing improvements but always have CDBG funds available to help the residents.

What is wrong with Richmond County?

Don’t we have commissioners who know what they’re doing? Oh, nevermind. I just answered myself.

This is in regards to Judge Wheale.

Whatever Judge Wheale gets, he deserves. He doesn’t know the law; the only law he knows is his law.

Augusta commissioners should explore buying and renovating existing property on Broad Street before building a new $74 million courthouse at the corner of Ninth and Walker. One major building vacant is the J.C. Penny’s building on the 700 block of Broad Street. It is huge and has five stories. It would have to have major renovations but it would also help renovate and redevelop downtown Augusta. There is also a two-level parking deck behind the building that could be used for parking for employees and for people going to court. Augusta should check out this property.

Hey, why fret about the condition of the Regency Mall? Why, Crystal Falls, Michigan, has capitalized on a similar situation by making the “Humungus Fungus” a destination. It’s become so well-known that it even has its mural on the side of U-Haul trucks. If it worked for them, it can work for us. Let’s see now, “The Monstrous Mildew,” “The Colossal Crud,” “Mold Mall of America.” Hey what could be more American than to go to a mall to see nature? Or, the Augusta medical tie-in: “The Penicillin Palace.” You get the idea.

Let’s put our tourism people on this before it’s too late.

— Call our Whine Line at 510-2051 and leave your comments. We won’t use your name. Fax your whines by dialing (706) 733-6663 or e-mail your whines to whine@metrospirit.com.

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NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT FINAL DRAFT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AUGUSTA CANAL HEADGATE IMPROVEMENTS

The Augusta Canal Authority, in association with the National Park Service, has completed the final draft of the Environmental Assessment (EA) to address potential historic and environmental impacts for a proposed project that would provide improvements to the Headgates Area of the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, Columbia County, Georgia. Copies of the draft EA are available for public review at the following locations:

Augusta Canal Authority Enterprise Mill 1450 Green Street, Suite 400 Augusta, GA 30901

Augusta Richmond County Planning Commission 525 Telfair Street Augusta, GA 30911

Savannah Rapids Pavilion 3300 Evans to Lock Road Martinez, GA 30907

Also, the draft EA can be downloaded from www.augustacanal.com

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The draft EA will open for public review and comment until December 29, 2003, 5:00 PM EST. Written comments should be sent to: Dayton L. Sherrouse. AICP Executive Director, Augusta Canal Authority P.O. Box 2367 Augusta, GA 30903 Or by email to: sherrouse@augustacanal.com

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MetroBeat

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Blue Lights on Broad Street

W

hen Augusta Commissioner Marion Williams headed downtown to attend this month’s First Friday on Nov. 7, he immediately got a sick feeling in his stomach as soon as he turned onto Broad Street.

“I went down Broad Street, around 11 o’clock at night, and both ends of Broad were blocked off with police cars, including the side streets,” Williams told the commission’s public safety committee on Nov. 10.

“There were blue lights flashing everywhere as if there had been some major disaster. I thought another 9/11 had happened.”

Williams said he couldn’t believe his eyes and figured that most of the commissioners wouldn’t believe it either, so he grabbed his camcorder from his car and started taping the scene.

“I decided to go one step further this time and videotaped it because I thought I would hear things like I don’t know what I’m talking about,” Williams said. “So, I’ve got a movie this time to show you.”

At one end of Broad Street, Williams said he tried to ask an officer why the streets were blocked off, but the deputy told him to move along.

As he started heading toward the other end of Broad Street, Williams said, he spotted Deputy Administrator Fred Russell and stopped to ask him what was going on.

“The situation we talked about was, there were some individuals playing on the sidewalk, a couple, and the young lady actually ended up going through one of the plate glass windows,” Russell explained to the committee. “The sheriff’s department made the decision to close off the streets in terms of controlling the traffic.”

Williams said when he reached the other end of Broad Street, the sheriff’s department had a large patrol wagon parked in the middle of the road.

“It was embarrassing to me to see the city blocked off from all different sides and sheriff’s cars everywhere,” Williams said. “To me, it sent a bad signal. Either we want First Friday or we don’t.”

By Stacey Eidson

When he asked another deputy who recognized him why all the streets were closed, Williams said the officer told him, “We were instructed to close it down at 11 o’clock.”

“My thing is, are we going to keep running people away from downtown?” Williams asked. “The mayor has mentioned about a James Brown Festival. If we can’t handle a First Friday, how in the world can we think about doing a big event with people from all over the world coming into this town?”

The public safety committee asked that Richmond County Sheriff Ronnie Strength attend the Nov. 24 committee meeting to explain why the streets were closed during last First Friday.

“We had a couple of incidents this last time,” Strength told the committee on Nov. 24. “I had two windows knocked out on Broad Street. One was horseplay, people playing around. A man and woman fell through the glass window and she had to go to the hospital.”

Strength explained that the officer in charge that night decided to shut down Broad Street for approximately one hour.

“I think it was from 11:40 to 12:40,” Strength said. “We didn’t know with that window being knocked out what we had or what we were dealing with, so we shut the streets down for two reasons: To get things under control and we had to get some emergency equipment in there because they couldn’t get by all the traffic. So that’s why that was done.

“But as far as any major problems with First Friday, we have not had any. Nothing that we do not expect.”

Strength said that arrests during or after First Friday are way down from last year.

“I’ve seen a major decrease in the problems that we’ve had since, say, October of last year,” Strength said, referring to an incident last October, where Broad Street businesses Louie J’s restaurant and the Metro Coffeehouse had their windows broken and sheriff’s deputies sprayed Mace at an unruly crowd a few hours after the conclusion of First Friday.

The sheriff’s department has not only increased the number of officers continued on page 16

“It was embarrassing to me to see the city blocked off from all different sides and sheriff’s cars everywhere.

To me, it sent a bad signal.”

— Augusta Commissioner Marion Williams

15 M E T R O

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continued from page 14 on the street since that incident, but Strength said deputies are also trying to cut down on the number of people cruising downtown following First Friday.

“Last October we had a couple thousand cruisers down there going around and around Broad Street from Fifth to 13th streets,” Strength said.

“They were stopping in the middle of the road, not letting people get by.

People were blowing horns and getting mad, getting out and fighting.

And some people were opening trunks and drinking liquor or beer, but we have almost knocked that in the head.”

Strength said that his department has decided to close down Broad Street only twice since last October’s incident.

“That is the quickest way to stop a problem, to get that crowd out of there,” Strength said. “If we eliminate cruising, you eliminate any potential problems.”

However, Williams still felt that practically closing downtown, even just for an hour, was too extreme.

“If you break the law, I think you ought to go to jail,” Williams said.

“But I rode around Broad Street and circled around, and saw every street blocked off with an officer flashing his lights. People were truly afraid.

“The general public couldn’t even go downtown. Nobody could come. It was like saying, ‘Don’t come to First Friday because it’s closed.’ Personally, I don’t think the city closes at a certain time.”

Williams said it would be a public relations nightmare if the city decided to let what happened last October determine how First Friday crowds should be treated.

“We had an incident with those young kids and we almost killed First Friday,” Williams said. “We had an officer on every corner and it almost died. Well, it came back to life.

“But now, during this past First Friday, it was the same scenario with blocking the street off with the lights flashing as if there was some big emergency.”

That’s not the kind of message the city should want to send, Williams said.

“Anybody with any common sense would say, ‘Well I’m not going that way because there must be something really bad down there,’” Williams said. “That gives a bad feeling to the city of Augusta. What I’m saying is, we can’t shut the city down as if we are afraid of the crowds. How will First Friday continue to grow?”

Strength simply said that he makes decisions based strictly on protecting the public.

“What would have happened if we had not blocked the streets off?”

Strength asked. “I don’t know and you don’t know, but if we had not done it and we had a major problem down there, we would be in here answering the question, ‘Well, why didn’t you block off the streets?’

“So, we have to make decisions based on public safety.”

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S P I R I T N O V 2 7 2 0 0 3

18 M E T R O S P I R I T N O V 2 7 2 0 0 3

Metro Beat

Welcome Back, Paul Gamsby

By Stacey Eidson

I

t was just like old times when Augusta Lynx General Manager Paul Gamsby stood before the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority on Nov. 25 and asked the board to support helping the team promote hockey in the civic center.

Gamsby politely laid out his offer and the authority quickly shot it down.

When hockey first came to Augusta more than five years ago, Gamsby and the Lynx tried everything to win over the board, from installing free televisions in the civic center’s concourse to offering the authority a free scoreboard that the Lynx acquired from their former team in Raleigh.

But no matter what Gamsby did, nothing seemed to work.

Back then the problem was, the Augusta Lynx were making money, and certain members of the authority were jealous.

Now, Gamsby has returned to Augusta after spending almost two years managing the now-defunct Richmond Renegades. But Gamsby is quickly learning, while time may have passed and there are a number of new authority members, everything in Augusta is still the same.

This most recent battle between the Lynx and the authority started when Gamsby requested that the board allocate $15,000 from its marketing and promotions account to support Sunday “Kid’s Day” with the Augusta Lynx.

Gamsby’s proposal would allow area kids into the Sunday Lynx games for free.

Once inside the civic center, kids would be greeted by various games and activities including live entertainment by clowns, magicians and jugglers.

Several area businesses such as The Augusta Chronicle and Comcast have committed to providing the Lynx with

“Why do we have to start fighting all the time?”

— Augusta Lynx General Manager Paul Gamsby

free advertising for the event at a value of $60,000, Gamsby said.

Aramark, the company that handles the civic center’s concessions, also agreed to pay $15,000 to help promote the event out of a joint promotion account that it shares with the civic center.

That’s why Gamsby was hoping that the authority would consider matching Aramark’s $15,000 donation, but several authority memebers didn’t feel quite so generous.

“If Aramark is going to throw their money away, does that mean we have to throw ours away too?” Authority Chairman Billy Holden asked. “If we give the Lynx that money, we’ve got to give everybody else money to promote their event.”

Authority member Joe Scott said that the Lynx aren’t like “everybody else” because the hockey team is the civic center’s only tenant.

“Everybody doesn’t have the budget that they have,” Scott said. “Everybody doesn’t have the number of dates that they have down here. I think we should

try to help them.”

But authority member Annie Rogers said she was having a difficult time finding a warm spot in her heart for the Lynx.

“When I went to the first hockey game, I saw this printout that they were handing out calling us clowns down here,” Rogers stated, referring to a flier that she said she was given at a Lynx game. “It said, ‘At least we’re through with these clowns down here on the authority.’ That was an insult to me.”

Gamsby clearly did not know what flier Rogers was referring to, but he slowly began realizing that any hopes he had of getting financial support from the board was quickly vanishing.

When Scott made a motion to provide the Lynx with $10,000 to help promote “Kid’s Day,” it failed miserably with only Scott and authority member Bernard Harper supporting the motion.

Only after the vote was taken was Gamsby allowed to address the board.

“This would have been an added value and I’m sorry the vote went the way it did,” Gamsby said, adding that he was

further discouraged by the fact that Civic Center General Manager Larry Rogers informed him that the board also did not support the Lynx’s proposal for a “Thirsty Thursday.”

“Thirsty Thursday” would allow patrons attending Thursday hockey games to purchase a beer for $1.

“What is Thirsty Thursday?” Scott asked Gamsby.

“Thirsty Thursday was a request I made to have a special beer night on Thursdays, which you had a few years ago,” Gamsby said. “I think it was a good thing for the overall attendance. But I guess you voted no on it.”

Scott said he knew nothing about the “Thirsty Thursday” proposal.

“Who told you that we voted no?”

Scott asked.

“I went to Larry (Rogers) and he told me that the board voted no,” Gamsby said.

Several authority members shook their heads in confusion.

“I did not say that,” Rogers responded.

“Yes you did, sir,” Gamsby said.

Rogers said he wasn’t in support of the dollar beer program because he felt it would not be profitable for the civic center.

“A dollar beer? Aramark said they can’t afford to pay us our commission on beer if we sell it for a dollar,” Rogers said.

“So, it’s a win for the hockey team. The radio station that promotes it puts a van out front, they get all the advertising. But we get nothing.”

By the end of the meeting, Gamsby was so frustrated with the authority that he could barely contain himself.

“Why do we have to start fighting all the time?” Gamsby asked, as several authority members started collecting their things to leave.

The meeting was over, but the authority was back to its old tricks.

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AUGUSTA Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday

T

Courtesy of LDR International Augusta’s central business district.

The once-thriving downtown department stores like J.C. Penney, H.L. Green and J.B. White were no more. For Sale signs and boarded-up storefronts quickly took their place.

In the late 1970s, two local businessmen — Hugh Connolly, president of Sherman & Hemstreet Realtors, and Monty Osteen, president of Bankers First — watched as the pedestrian traffic gradually vanished from Broad Street and soon realized downtown Augusta was facing extinction.

“Augusta had just opened over two million square feet of prime retail real estate in about a three-week period of time, in the form of those two malls,” Osteen said, looking at maps of downtown Augusta inside Enterprise Mill. “And the downtown was devastated. The department stores that were downtown all shut down. Some of the greatest fountain Coke and hot dog places disappeared and were just gone forever.

“You’ve seen pictures of places that are deserted and there is a piece of paper that the wind is blowing down the street. Well, that’s what Augusta looked like. It was awful.”

M E T R O S P I R I T N O V 2 7 2 0 0 3

By Stacey Eidson

hese days, everyone seems to know what’s best for downtown Augusta.

Whether it be organizations like Leadership Augusta’s Destination 2020, Main Street Augusta, the Downtown Development Authority or the city of Augusta itself, each group apparently has a vision as to how downtown should progress into the future.

Plans come and go, but 25 years ago, finding answers wasn’t so easy.

In the fall of 1978, downtown Augusta was on its death bed.

One group, Augusta Tomorrow, realized immediate action was needed or Augusta would never recover.

A quarter of a century later, it seems Augusta has forgotten all that this organization has done.

Augusta Tomorrow took on the levee, the railroad and a troubled economy.

Who can say that today?

Just prior to Augusta Tomorrow forming, two major retail outlets, Augusta Mall and Regency Mall, had just opened within a few weeks of one another and they sucked the life out of

21

Connolly, as president of Sherman & Hemstreet, was fully aware of The Rouse Company’s plans to develop Augusta Mall on approximately 80 acres along Wrightsboro Road. But Connolly said he was shocked at the impact the opening of the two Richmond County malls had on the downtown area.

“It sucked all of the life out of the central business district,” Connolly said. “So the issue became: How were we going to bring economic and cultural vitality back to Broad Street? Because, at the time, Broad Street was downtown’s focal point.”

As active members of Historic Augusta, Osteen said he and Connolly felt a challenge and a responsibility to do something to help restore the downtown area. The only question was, what?

“I began calling around the country, because I’m an economist by training, and asking things like, ‘Do you need a downtown? Do you really need one?’” Osteen said. “And all the experts and economists, they all said, ‘Yeah, you really do need one.’”

And after describing the grim economic condition that downtown Augusta was experi-

encing at the time, Osteen said urban development experts’ best advice was, “Whatever you do, you better get at it. And fast.”

At the same time, Connolly happened to attend a conference for the Savannah Landmark Rehabilitation Project.

This project was developed to not only enhance Savannah’s lovely downtown squares, but also to restore and revitalize the city’s historic Victorian district, which had fallen into disrepair.

“It was a two-and-a-half-day conference with speakers from all over the country,” Connolly said. “And one of the speakers happened to be George Brady, Jr., the president of the National Corporation for Housing Partnership. He was also the treasurer on The Rouse Company’s board.”

Brady just happened to have close friends who lived in Augusta, and, therefore, was familiar with some of the growing pains the city was experiencing.

The two had lunch together at the conference, and, shortly after, Connolly and Osteen took a trip to visit Brady in Washington, D.C. continued on page 22

Courtesy of LDR International

22 continued from page 21 M E T R O S P I R I T N O V 2 7 2 0 0 3

“At first we were hoping that we could get some help from his organization, the National Corporation for Housing Partnerships, but the more we talked to George, he told us we needed the American City Corporation’s help instead,” Connolly said.

The American City Corp., an urban planning company located in Columbia, Md., was a subsidiary of The Rouse Company.

Osteen couldn’t help but point out the irony in the situation.

“Here we were being directed to the American City Corporation, which, ironically, was a subsidiary of The Rouse Company, the same ones who opened the damn mall,” Osteen said laughing.

But as soon as Osteen met Leo Molinaro, president of American City Corp., he knew Augusta was in good hands.

“He was a very aggressive Italian with so much energy,” Osteen said. “He was a fun guy who knew what he was talking about.”

Osteen said Molinaro suggested that Augusta’s private sector extend its hand to the local government and negotiate a public/private partnership to concentrate on the future growth of the city’s downtown.

Shortly after, Augusta Tomorrow was born.

“We finally succeeded in putting together a group of people that were concerned about the death of the core of the city,” Osteen said, referring to the initial 11-member board consisting of individuals from the private sector dedicated to downtown’s redevelopment.

“Next, all we needed was the public piece of the puzzle,” Connolly said. “About the same time, (Lewis) Pop Newman’s term had expired as mayor and Ed McIntyre was running to take his place.”

A major topic during the political race was the state of downtown, Osteen said.

“When Ed McIntyre was running for mayor,

A rendering of the Augusta Common in Augusta Tomorrow’s 2000 master plan update. one of his principle platforms was to work with the private sector to take on the revitalization of the downtown area,” Osteen said.

“He got elected and got a lot of votes because of the position he took on revitalizing the downtown. And he was an excellent partner back in the early days.

“He knew how public/private partnerships worked and he realized the positive impact that they could have on a community.”

After being elected and even before officially taking office in 1981, McIntyre met with Molinaro and Connolly to talk about the potential of a public/private joint venture like Augusta Tomorrow.

McIntyre said he had seen such public/private organizations experience great success in other cities around the country and that forming Augusta Tomorrow simply made sense to him.

“I’m a progressive thinker,” McIntyre said from his office on Bay Street. “People forget, I’m the guy who introduced the civic center to this community. I’m the guy who had in his platform the development of the riverfront. I’m the guy who supported and put together Augusta Tomorrow and the partners that worked with us. If it’s a good idea, I’m willing to fight for it.”

But McIntyre said Augusta Tomorrow’s plans were still a tough sell to the sitting city council.

“I took a major leap in supporting Augusta Tomorrow,” McIntyre said. “It wasn’t easy convincing the majority of the city council members to go along with the plans for downtown because many of them were very conservative. They didn’t want to spend a dime. I had to prove to them that we had a plan worth considering.”

Once Augusta Tomorrow officially received the city’s blessings, American City Corp., lead by Molinaro, embarked on a six-month review of other successful downtown revitalization projects around the country and a thorough study of Augusta’s potential.

“We went all around the country, looking at various cities like Baltimore, to see what they had done with their waterfront,” Osteen said.

“Because, clearly, we realized that the Savannah River was an untapped resource. At the time, there was a railroad track running down the levee. And there was no breach to the levee, so the river was basically cut off from the rest of the town. Nobody really even thought about it.”

The levee was built in Augusta in order to protect the city from the danger of floods that could damage downtown businesses and homes. But, while the levee protected the

“When I hear people say, ‘Augusta doesn’t do anything.

Look at Columbus. Look at Savannah. Look at what they’re doing,’ I think, ‘You just weren’t here.’ Savannah and Columbus used to come to Augusta to see what we were doing.”

— Monty Osteen, former president of Bankers First

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community’s private assets, it also prevented Augustans from enjoying probably the city’s greatest asset: the Savannah River.

For those residents who moved to Augusta after the development of the Riverwalk in 1988, Connolly said, it’s difficult to imagine the view toward the Savannah River from Reynolds Street.

“At the street level, you had no sense of the river at all. You couldn’t see it whatsoever,” Connolly said. “We knew we had to change that, no matter how difficult it might be.”

There were two major obstacles standing in the way of Augusta’s view of the river: breaching the levee and removing railroad tracks owned by CSX Transportation, Inc., formerly Seaboard Systems Railroad, that were located along the levee.

In order to get those tasks accomplished and outline much-needed projects for the downtown area, the city and Augusta Tomorrow agreed to pay American City Corp. $120,000 to develop a master plan for downtown.

According to an October 1986 article in The Augusta Chronicle, American City Corp. released a “65-page development program” in September 1982.

The 1982 plan outlined the development of projects such as riverfront housing, a downtown hotel and convention center, a riverfront marina and renovated office buildings.

The plan also called for the construction of what was then known as the “International Golf Exposition,” which was later referred to as the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame; the development of Bay Street Esplanade, now known as the Riverwalk; and the creation of Fort Augusta, which was supposed to be a historic reconstruction of Augusta’s first settlement.

In all, there were about 40 projects listed in the 1982 plan that carried a total cost of $116 million.

“It turned out it was more like $240 million,” Osteen said. “But the 1982 plan came up with a bunch of priorities and some of them came together quicker than we thought they would. For example, acquiring the land along the river, breaching the levee and getting the railroad track relocated; all of that happened faster than we thought it would.”

While some people may be surprised to hear Osteen describe the breaching of the levee and the relocation of the railroad tracks as an accomplishment achieved in a short amount of time, Connolly assured the public it was not an easy task.

“Breaching the levee took an act of Congress,” Connolly said, explaining that Congress had to amend the 1899 Rivers and Harbors Act in order to grant the Corps of Engineers the authority to allow Augusta to breach the levee.

Fortunately, Connolly said, Augusta had the powerful arm of long-time U.S. Congressman Doug Barnard to help negotiate the breaching of levee.

But in December 1983, Augusta Tomorrow hit a roadblock. After serving more than two years as mayor of Augusta, McIntyre was arrested by FBI agents on bribery and extortion charges reportedly involving the sale of a city-owned property along the Savannah River.

Connolly said he feared McIntyre’s problems would derail Augusta Tomorrow’s vision.

“Ed McIntyre had his problems and misfortunes, and I thought at first that those misfortunes were going to kill everything, but it all came back,” Connolly said. “And it was a shame what happened because Ed McIntyre was a good partner in the sense that he had a vision. When we came together as a group and we made a decision, he would honor those decisions.

“Ed McIntyre didn’t go off and run around behind your back. That’s what a good partner is. Somebody who sticks to his word. And he backed his word wholly.”

So whatever some Augustans may think about McIntyre, Connolly said they need to give the former mayor credit for the leadership he provided Augusta Tomorrow early on.

“We don’t agree on everything,” Connolly said, “but I must say, if Ed McIntyre had not brought that leadership and commitment to Augusta Tomorrow, I don’t know that we would have gotten off the ground.”

By 1985, the levee had been breached and Connolly, along with Mayor Charles DeVaney, focused their concentration on relocating the railroad tracks.

According to Augusta Tomorrow’s records, the railroad tracks that ran along the levee were part of the “Old Charleston and Western Carolina line.”

The First Railroad and Banking Co. had a 99-year lease on the railroad tracks that would not expire until the late 1980s.

So Connolly said he, DeVaney and the late Charles Presley, former chairman and chief executive officer of First Railroad and Banking Co. of Georgia, traveled to Jacksonville, Fla., to plead Augusta’s case with the company’s vice president of operations.

The Georgia Railroad and Banking Company was a subsidiary of First Railroad and Banking.

“It just so happened that we found out that the vice president had personal ties to Georgia,” Connolly said. “The more we talked, the closer we felt we were to eliminating that barrier.”

By 1985, Connolly said, Augusta Tomorrow had a memorandum of understanding signed between the city of Augusta and Seaboard Railroad to abandon the railroad tracks along the levee.

It took almost five years, but Augusta Tomorrow had breached the levee and had an agreement with the powers-that-be to remove the rail line.

“Both were very substantial barriers and we were just as lucky as sin that we were able to pull both of them off,” Connolly said. “That allowed for the development of the first section of Riverwalk.”

Now all Augusta Tomorrow needed was to find some money to accomplish many of its plans for downtown. And according to Osteen, finding the financial backing for the development of the riverfront was just as difficult as breaching the levee.

In 1985, according to Augusta Tomorrow’s Web site (www.augustatomorrow.com), Bankers First began assembling parcels of riverfront property to help develop the 1982 plans of a hotel, convention center and downtown office space. At the same time, continued on page 24

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continued from page 23 Osteen began searching for funding to support the project.

Enter the much-talked-about $7.6 million Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development for the project.

But despite what the public may think, Osteen said, securing that grant was anything but easy money.

Here’s the “real story” according to Osteen: In 1986, Bankers First applied for a $9.5 million UDAG in hopes of using the money to leverage other private funds for the project.

One year later, Augusta was, instead, approved for a $7.6 million grant.

However, receiving UDAG approval was just the first step.

It wasn’t until 1989, according to Augusta Tomorrow’s records, that Bankers First was able to secure enough funding for the project.

“People don’t realize, the banks wouldn’t touch it,” Osteen said. “I was in the banking business, I knew it.

“I went to Manufacturers Hanover (Corporation), to some of my oldest, best banking friends and they said, ‘We ain’t making a damn hotel loan. You know, we’ll make your bank a loan, but we are not making a loan on a hotel.’”

of Morris Communications Corp. and publisher of The Augusta Chronicle, stepped forward.

“I had been to see Billy (Morris) twice already and he had turned me down twice. He said, ‘I don’t know anything about the hotel business,’” Osteen said. “But finally, Billy just said, ‘We can’t lose that UDAG grant.’

So we called a meeting at the (Augusta Metro) Chamber of Commerce.”

Osteen said finding money for the project was down to the wire.

“We were getting ready to lose everything,” Osteen said. “At that meeting we had everybody there. The developers, First Union, the August Tomorrow members, the city and Bankers First said, ‘Look we are out of bullets. This is it. We are not going to do this deal unless we can put together some equity.’”

Morris then took over the meeting, Osteen said.

“Billy stood up,” Osteen said. “And when he took over the meeting, I knew something good was going to happen.”

Osteen had to leave the meeting because of the conflict of interest he had in helping develop the project.

“Everybody committed,” Osteen said.

“At the street level, you had no sense of the river at all.

You couldn’t see it whatsoever. We knew we had to change that, no matter how difficult it might be.”

— Hugh Connolly, former president of Sherman & Hemstreet Realtors Osteen said he traveled to Augusta’s sister city in Japan to try and sell the project overseas.

“I almost broke my back on a trip to Japan because I had two suitcases full of feasibility studies,” Osteen said, laughing. “Hell, they turned me down too. Then a German bank turned us down. We went everywhere trying to get this damn thing financed. And it just wasn’t happening.”

Augusta was in danger of losing the $7.6 million UDAG if the project could not find additional funding and no work was being accomplished.

“You had this UDAG grant that was sitting there ... And we were getting ready to lose it to Toledo because they had another project waiting,” Osteen said. “So, when the HUD people would come down, we would crank up the bulldozers and move stuff around.”

Osteen said he was just trying to buy some time, and finally William S. Morris, III, CEO

“Bankers First put in $4.5 million in cash.

Billy (Morris) put in $4 million in cash, but he also signed a 10-year lease for 55,000 square feet in the (Riverfront) office building.

The city signed a long-term lease for over 8,000 square feet, Osteen said, and several private investors also signed up for space in the office building, including Dr. Louis Battey, Georgia Power, Kuhlke Construction and Bankers First.

But Morris wasn’t through yet.

“Then he did something that Billy Morris has never done before or since,” Osteen said.

“He guaranteed the damn loan — personally.

And you talk about a gut check.

“That’s $17 million. He’s a rich man, but I’m going to tell you something, a $17 million loan and guaranteeing the whole damn thing, and he signed his name. That’s what made the deal work.”

So that’s why Osteen said he is dumbfounded when he hears some Augustans continued on page 26

25 M E T R O

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26 M E T R O S P I R I T N O V 2 7 2 0 0 3

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“I took a major leap in supporting Augusta Tomorrow.

It wasn’t easy convincing the majority of the city council members to go along with the plans for downtown because many of them were very conservative. They didn’t want to spend a dime.”

— Former Augusta Mayor Ed McIntyre continued from page 24 say that Morris profited off of the UDAG and received a sweetheart deal.

“That night at the chambers, we all looked at each other and thought, ‘We are about to lose our money,’” Osteen said. “My board of directors, I thought they were going to string me up.”

By 1992, the Radisson Riverfront Hotel and convention center opened.

When Osteen looks back at what Augusta Tomorrow and the city accomplished 10 years after the 1982 plan, he thinks it’s remarkable.

“What we had in 1982 was nothing; by 1995 we had built a very impressive Riverwalk improvement area for downtown,” Osteen said. “So when I hear people say, ‘Augusta doesn’t do anything. Look at Columbus. Look at Savannah. Look at what they’re doing,’ I think, ‘You just weren’t here.’ Savannah and Columbus used to come to Augusta to see what we were doing.”

Since 1982, Augusta Tomorrow has updated its master plan several times, including two massive updates in 1995 and 2000.

During those updates, several downtown projects were suggested, including Springfield Village, the National Science Center, the new Morris Museum, the development of three downtown parking garages and a pedestrian bridge to North Augusta to enhance the major developments occurring across the river.

“We’ve asked for a million dollars to be put into the SPLOST (special purpose local option sales tax) for the bridge,” Osteen said.

“That would be a great addition. And, personally, I would really like to see a fairly upscale residential component added to downtown on this side of the river. And there are a lot of opportunities for that. There’s still a lot of opportune sites on the riverfront. They are not all gone.”

But in order for Augusta to continue the growth it experienced in the 1980s and 90s, McIntrye believes there needs to be a major attitude change within the local government.

“In my judgment, we are behind in this city,” McIntyre said. “We are the second

largest city in Georgia, but we are now playing catch up. And to catch up you have to run twice as fast, but now we are not running at all.

“And we’re not running because there is no partnership between the local government and the private sector.”

Julian Osbon, a downtown investor and former Augusta Tomorrow president, said the local government needs to recognize the accomplishments that have occurred through a public/private partnership.

“My family had been in business downtown since 1940. And I was here in the late 70s and early 80s,” Osbon said. “You could look out on Broad Street and there wasn’t a car anywhere. Augusta Tomorrow recognized that as a problem and did something about it. In my opinion, they’re a bunch of heroes.”

These days, Osbon said the local government has a hard time appreciating the growth downtown.

“Probably, still, our No. 1 problem is our political system that focuses on representation of specific districts and a lack of representation of the total area,” Osbon said. “Our commissioners must realize that no successful city exists anywhere that doesn’t have a healthy center core. But I think the political situation will improve over the years. I don’t know how long it will take, but that will eventually change.

“It’s a gradual process,” Osbon added. “I think we have planted the seed, the tree is growing and it’s something that will be very difficult for anybody to reverse.”

While Osteen agrees that progress is occurring, he also wishes that the local government would take a more active role in Augusta Tomorrow and its master plan.

“It’s just tougher than it used to be,” Osteen said. “The government is just not as functional in this regard as it used to be.

These people have sort of ignored this resource and we’re the best deal in town. We don’t charge a thing for our advice and you won’t find anybody more devoted to Augusta.”

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27

Founder George Cunningham circa 1965

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28 M E T R O S P I R I T N O V 2 7 2 0 0 3

Bite

Mai Thai Offers a Few Surprises

By Amy Fennel Christian

✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥ M

ai Thai is an enigma of a restaurant that almost defies description. Its storefront location belies its elegantly upscale interior. Its cuisine leans toward spicy curries more often associated with Indian restaurants. It’s a fancy family restaurant, where kids are welcomed but not catered to with an Americanized children’s menu.

Sisters Wattanee Vacharauirin and Achana Jarintranont opened Mai Thai last summer and obviously put a lot of thought into the look of the restaurant. A calming mixture of yellows, whites and greens, the small space can accommodate 50 diners who enjoy meals in soothing surroundings.

The décor in Mai Thai is clean and the noise level is minimal. Only a few Thailand travel posters and other small ornaments grace the walls. Thai music plays softly in the background and the kitchen is behind a closed door so that patrons don’t have to listen to kitchen prep clatter.

Before lunching there recently with a friend, I had heard good things about Mai Thai and was intrigued. I was interested in this out-of-the-way spot that claimed to serve “Authentic Thai Cuisine,” and if the surprising dessert I had was any indication, Mai Thai is authentic indeed. But more about that later.

One thing I did remember from my last visit to a Thai restaurant was the Thai iced tea, a incredibly sweet concoction of tea and cream. Mai Thai also serves it, as well as Thai iced coffee which I ordered.

I have to admit that I like cream and sugar in my coffee, but even I found this a little sweet. The coffee was strong and well-flavored, though, so I was able to taste something besides the sugar.

For an appetizer, we tried the ubiquitous spring rolls, just to see how they differed from the Chinese version. Stuffed with chicken, glass noodles and vegetables, the rolls were deep fried. The long strands of glass noodles made them a little difficult to eat with any amount of decorum, but the excellent Thai duck sauce made me forget any dining faux pas. Clear, thin and slightly spicy, the Thai sauce was 10 times better than the gloppy Chinese version.

The Tom Kha Gai, a hot and sour coconut soup with chicken, Thai ginger and big mushroom quarters, was also a hit.

Like the broth, the chicken pieces were milky white and the mushroom quarters were big and meaty. More sour than hot (although it definitely had a kick), the soup had an indescribably satisfying flavor.

If Thai drinks are notoriously sweet, then the food is notoriously spicy. Mai Thai does, however, have a chili pepper rating system (one for mildly spicy; three for extremely spicy) and many of their dishes are mild enough that they warrant no rating. For our lunch entrées (which were enormous), I ordered Kuay Tiew Neau Sub, a noodle dish that garnered a two-pepper rating, while my friend ordered the mild Kao Pad Saparot Mai Thai, a fried rice dish.

My entrée, which included rice noodles, ground beef and vegetables in a Thai curry sauce, was noticeably spicy but not so much so that it was overpowering.

The dish surprised me in that it was comforting rather than exotic; the Thai curry tasted like no other I’m familiar with.

My friend was, at first, disappointed with her dish of pineapple fried rice with chicken, carrots and green peas. Sure, it was mild, but it also seemed a little bland to her (and to me as well). When I asked her again later, though, she admitted that it had grown on her. The lack of spices, she explained, exposed the flavor of the ingredients themselves and she liked how the pineapple and vegetables were minimally cooked and crunchy.

Now, to dessert. Mai Thai offers four, including a seemingly out-of-place flan.

We skipped the flan in favor of sweet sticky rice and custard for her and Thai coconut pudding for me.

Not a big fan of coconut, I ordered it after learning that my first choice, sweet sticky rice and mango was unavailable since mangoes are out of season. I’m glad I did order it, though, if for nothing else but the shock factor.

The pudding arrived in a delicate, footed custard dish and was encased inside two muffin liners. After receiving instructions from my waiter to make sure I got a little of both layers with each spoonful, I dug in.

Mai Thai’s inconspicuous shopping center location (above) doesn’t hint at the treats concealed inside, like Pla Lard Prik (below center), a deep fried whole fish covered in chili, garlic sauce and basil. Other noteworthy dishes include (clockwise, from bottom left) flan, chicken satay, Kang Dang Gai, a red Thai curry with chicken, bamboo shoots, green peas and sticky rice, and Pad Thai, rice noodles with shrimp, eggs, ground peanuts and bean sprouts.

The top, a milky white layer, looked normal enough, but, much to my surprise, I discovered that the gelatinous bottom layer included kernels of yellow corn.

Interesting, and worth getting at least once.

The sticky rice topped with dark, tan-colored spoonfuls of custard was also excellent, and tasted a bit like tapioca to me.

After experiencing an excellent lunch, I nonetheless left Mai Thai still feeling confused. How, for instance, did I eat so

much food without feeling like I was going to burst? And how did lunch for two, including appetizers and desserts, only total about $30?

An enigma indeed.

Mai Thai is located at 4272 Washington Road in Evans Towne Centre, 210-9008.

Hours are 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m.

Mon.-Thurs. and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 510:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥

29

Lunch: Tuesday ~ Friday

M E T R O

Dinner: Tuesday ~ Saturday D. Timm’s jazz café, Ellis & 6th Street, Downtown, Augusta 774.9500 www.dtimms.com

Lunch Sandwiches Soft Shell Po’ Boy-Jumbo Soft Shell lightly breaded then fried and served with Lettuce, tomato, shaved onions and sauce remoulade on a crunchy baguette 7.95 Cajun Oyster Po’ Boy-Fresh Oysters lightly breaded and fried and served with Lettuce, tomato, shaved onion and sauce remoulade on a crunchy baguette 7.50 Coastal Crunch- Fried grouper and crab cake with lettuce, tomato, shaved onion, And sauce remoulade on a crunchy baguette 8.50 Hot Chicken Wrap- Buffalo fried chicken breast with lettuce, tomato, Red onion Marmalade served with hot honey mustard and wrapped in a Sun-dried tomato tortilla 7.50

S P I R I T N O V

Lunch Salads

Appetizers

Entrees

Cold Trio Salads-your favorite meat and two sides listed below 7.95 Or Stuff a tomato with your favorite salad listed below 7.95 (Tomato plates are garnished with fruit, egg and lettuce) Meats Cajun Shrimp Grilled Chicken Tuna Salad Grilled Asian Steak

Carpaccio- Filet of Beef served paper thin with Balsamic syrup, shaved Parmesan cheese 7.95

Meyers Chicken-breast of chicken sauteed with shallots, mushrooms Home-made preserved lemons, roasted garlic sauce 14.95

Crab Cakes - Fresh blue crabmeat with fire roasted peppers, sweet minced gherkins, fresh Whipped cream and Dijon mustard served with a remoulade sauce 8.95

Bootleg Blade Steak- Hand cut 10oz Top Sirloin steak grilled Served with Whiskey cream peppercorn sauce 14.95

Sides Fruit Salad Egg Salad Cottage Cheese Marinated Veggie Szechwan Noodles Penne Tortellini Dill Potato

Crispy Goat Cheesecake - Local Blue Moon goat cheese encrusted with ground pistachios, fresh Breadcrumbs pan-fried served with smoked tomato coulis & roasted red pepper puree 7.25 Lobster Egg Rolls - Napa cabbage, fresh corn, bacon, and lobster claw meat, served with soy Glace 8.95

Veal Baci- veal medallions breaded with parmesan and pecorino Romano Cheese, served with lemon white wine, herb sauce 17.95 Lamb Bastille- Three double chops roasted to order topped with Caramelized onionMango chutney served with Dijon butter sauce 21.95

Cumin Tuna Sashimi-Thin sliced tuna served with avocado-corn salsa, soy glace, spicy cumin Vinaigrette 8.50

Caperberry Duck-Duck breasts, pan-seared to order served With caperberry beurre blanc sauce 19.95

Gyro Wrap- Lamb and beef gyro-meat grilled with onions, lettuce, tomato, Tzatziki sauce, wrapped in pesto flour tortilla 7.95

Cajun Crayfish— Fresh California greens with roasted red peppers, Almonds, scallions, garlic, chopped tomato, spicy crayfish tail meat And balsamic vinaigrette 7.25

Escargot- French snails with garlic, fine herbs, diced peppers, served with a bordelaise sauce And a tarragon butter sauce 8.50

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin- Crayfish, bacon, green onion stuffing wrapped With Jalapeno, smoked bacon served with chili hollandaise sauce 16.95

D.Timm’s Hamburger -8oz 100% fresh ground chuck grilled to order Served with Lettuce, tomato, red onion marmalade and Maytag blue cheese On a homemade onion bun 6.95

Caesar’s Caesar- Fresh romaine, herbed croutons, homemade dressing and Parmesan cheese (add chicken $1.95, add shrimp $2.50) 6.95

Calamari Rellenos-Calamari stuffed with shrimp, herbs, corn, goat cheese, fried golden brown with corn puree and roasted red pepper coulis 7.95

Cognac Strip - 12oz NY Strip grilled to order served with cognac butter Portobello mushroom ragout 18.95

Cobb Salad- Baby greens, diced turkey, bacon, egg, cheddar cheese And Italian dressing 8.25

Crispy Duck Salad-Baby greens, dill cucumbers, caramelized onions, roma tomatoes Sun dried tomato vinaigrette 13.95

Maytag Filet - 10oz filet of beef grilled to order glazed with Maytag Blue cheese served on bed of roasted tomato sauce 19.95

Scallops & lobster Medley-Grilled Maine Diver scallops, Poached Maine lobster claw meat Served with blood orange Buerre Blanc & Vanilla cream sauce 11.50

California Bouillabaisse-Roasted GarlicSaffron broth loaded with Shrimp, scallops, mussels, fresh fish, crusted bread 17.95

Saigon Summer Rolls-Rice paper with shrimp, chicken, oriental vegetables served With soy chili dipping sauce 8.95

Scarlet Flounder-Fresh Flounder, sauteed with shrimps, scallops, oysters Topped with blood orange butter sauce 17.95

Oven Roasted Turkey -sliced turkey piled high with toasted pecans, lettuce, Roasted garlic mayonnaise on homemade thick cut bread 6.25 Bumstead- Triple Decker piled high with sliced roast beef, turkey, ham, Shaved onions, cheddar and Swiss cheeses, lettuce, tomato, red onion marmalade On thick cut bread 6.95 Goat Cheese and Beef - Pesto Flour tortilla filled with warm roasted beef, Local Blue Moon Goat Cheese and roasted red pepper compote 6.25 Monte Who-Sliced Ham with Swiss and cheddar cheeses on Thick cut bread dipped in cinnamon batter then fried and accented with Powder sugar 5.95

Lunch Entrée Meyers Chicken-Breast of chicken sautéed with shallots, mushrooms, Home-made preserved lemons, roasted garlic sauce 8.25 Bootleg Blade Steak- Hand cut 8oz Top Sirloin steak grilled Served with Whiskey cream peppercorn sauce 9.95 Capellini Pesca- Chili flakes, Habanera peppers, garlic, shrimp, scallops, Wild mushrooms, tomato, basil tossed with angel hair pasta 8.95 Crispy Rainbow Trout - Lightly breaded brook filet, sautéed With lemon brown butter sauce 9.50 Shrimp Gnocchi - Gulf shrimp sauté with garlic, basil, Tomato, white wine cream sauce tossed with potato dumplings 9.75

Smoked Salmon Timbale-Smoked salmon, baby fresh greens, salmon latkes, fried capers, Sour cream-chive creme fraiche 9.95

Texas Tuna-Ahi fillet with a southwest rub seared to order with warm Mango- melon compote 18.95

Pizza Margherita-Roma tomatoes, roasted garlic, roasted tomatoes sauce, basil with Fresh mozzarella cheese 7.95

Capellini Pesca- Chili flakes, Habanera peppers, garlic, shrimp, scallops, Wild mushrooms, tomatoes, basil, tossed with angel hair pasta 16.95

Cajun Pizza -Spicy grilled chicken, Tasso ham, shaved onions, bell peppers Mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, Cajun spices 8.50

Gnocchi Tasso- Spicy smoked ham with chicken, bell pepper, tomatoes, Basil, garlic cream sauce, tossed with homemade potato dumplings 16.95

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Arts

& Entertainment

A Decade of Donation for Rocking the Stocking

I

t’s the season for giving, and if you’re looking for a way to contribute to one of the many worthy charities in need of support this time of year, you might want to consider attending the 10th Annual Kevin Brown Rocking the Stocking Memorial Dec. 5-6 at Crossroads. For a $5 donation at the door, you can help out the Empty Stocking Fund, as well as enjoy music from some local favorites.

The brainchild of Lokal Loudness guru Stoney Cannon, Rocking the Stocking began 10 years ago to remember Kevin Brown, a friend of Cannon’s who was killed at work, as well as raise money for Brown’s only surviving relative, his father. After Brown’s father

By Lisa Jordan

passed away, Rocking the Stocking continued, with proceeds benefiting the Empty Stocking Fund.

This year’s participants include The Big Mighty, The Jeremy Carr Band, Josh Pierce, Kill Radius, The Kilpatrick Project, Livingroom Legends, Pat Blanchard, Soul Honkeys, 212, Trend, Tristin, The Vellotones, Will McCranie and more.

For more information on Rocking the Stocking, call Crossroads at 821-3366.

You can also visit Cannon’s Web site at http://lokalloudness.cjb.net or call Lokal Loudness Words and Music at 823-0779.

Photo Credit: Joe White

M E T R O

Photo Credit: Joe White

30

Here are just five of the great acts you’ll see at the 10th Annual Kevin Brown Rocking the Stocking Memorial concert. Clockwise, from top left: Josh Pierce, The Livingroom Legends, Pat Blanchard, The Kilpatrick Project and The Big Mighty.

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M E T R O

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S P I R I T N O V 2 7 2 0 0 3

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8

DaysA Week

Arts

“CITY COWS AND COUNTRY DOGS” exhibit of works

by Rober t Marinich at the Banker Dearing Gallery Dec. 5-31. Opening reception 5-9 p.m. Dec. 5 benefits Canine Assistants. Call 823-1060.

AUDITIONS FOR “EVITA” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11-12 and 11 a.m.

Dec. 13 at First Baptist Church of Nor th Augusta. Roles available for men and women ages 16 and up. All those auditioning must have a prepared solo. Contact the Augusta Players for more information at 826-4707.

HOLIDAY EXHIBITION featuring the works of 21 ar tists Dec. 4-21 at the Mary Pauline Gallery. Opening reception 5-8 p.m. Dec. 4. Call 724-9542.

Auditions

“NOISES OFF” will be per formed by For t Gordon Dinner Theatre in February. Auditions held Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m., with call backs Dec. 10. Par ts available for four women, ages 2150, and six men, ages 20-65. Call 791-4389.

ENOPION THEATRE COMPANY is looking for volunteers to act, sing, sew, build and more for their new musical, “Creation.” Applications are available at www.imaryproductions.com or by calling (803) 442-9039.

SWEET ADELINES HARMONY RIVER CHORUS OPEN REHEARSAL for singers each Thursday at 7 p.m. at Church of Christ, 600 Martintown Rd. in North Augusta. They are on the lookout for voices in the lower ranges. There will be no rehearsal this week. Contact Mary Norman at (803) 279-6499.

Education

FIGURE DRAWING WORKSHOP 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Ger trude Herber t Institute of Ar t. Please bring a brown bag lunch. Pre-registration is required. Call 722-5495.

ISRAELI DANCE WORKSHOP at the Augusta Jewish Community Center Sunday af ternoons, 4-5 p.m. Open to teens and adults; no experience or par tners are necessary.

Cost is $2 per session, with the first session free. For information or to schedule a pre-class beginner/refresher session, contact Jackie Cohen, 738-9016.

ART CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS are offered year-round at the Ger trude Herber t Institute of Ar t. Classes and workshops are open to toddlers through adults and feature instruction in drawing, painting, photography, pot tery, weaving and sculpture. For a newslet ter or detailed information on registering for classes at the Ger trude Herber t, call 722-5495. The Ger trude Herber t Institute of Ar t also offers educational tours; for information, contact the education director at the above telephone number.

ART CLASSES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS at the Ar t Factory. The Ar t Factory also has a homeschool program and scholarships are available. Programs include voice lessons and pantomime workshops, as well as classes in dance, theater, music, visual ar ts and writing. Call 731-0008 for details.

Exhibitions

ISR AELI ART EXHIBIT WITH BAR KOCVA at the Augusta Jewish Community Center Dec. 6-8. Preview par ty Dec. 6, 7:30-11 p.m., is $25 per couple. Call 228-3636 for details.

“ANGELS ALL AROUND” exhibit Dec. 2-31 at Aiken County Historical Museum. For information, call (803) 642-2015.

GROUP EXHIBITION featuring works by Son Hae Allen, Keil Alderson, Dick Dunlap, Steve Harrison, David Mascaro and Lucy Weigle 5-9 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Dunlap Studio and Gallery. 722-7333.

“THE LOW COUNTRY: PAINTINGS BY PRESTON RUSSELL” will be on display at the Morris Museum of Ar t through Jan. 11. For more info, call 724-7501.

“BABY-BOOM DAYDREAMS: THE ART OF DOUGLAS BOURGEOIS” will be on exhibit at the Morris Museum of Ar t through Feb. 15. Members’ reception and conversation with Douglas Bourgeois and Kevin Grogan 6-8 p.m. Dec. 4. Call 724-7501 for information.

“EDWARD RICE: RECENT MONOTYPES” exhibit at the Morris Museum of Ar t runs through Jan. 4. Call 724-7501.

“DEANNE DUNBAR: OBJECTS OF DESIRE” will be on display at the Rabold Gallery in Aiken through Feb. 14.

For more information, call (803) 641-4405 or e-mail raboldgallery@bellsouth.net.

AVIS LYLE AND MARY ALICE LOCKHART exhibit in the ar t hall at Sacred Hear t Cultural Center throughout November and December. Call 826-4700.

23RD ANNUAL QUILT SHOW through Nov. 30 at the Aiken County Historical Museum. Call (803) 642-2015.

CER AMICS BY ERIC CARLIN will be on display at the Gibbs Library throughout November. 863-1946.

MAGGIE DAVID AND MELISSA MESSINA exhibit at the Augusta State University Fine Ar ts Center through Dec. 3. Call 737-1444.

PAINTINGS BY LINDA BAACK will be at the Euchee Creek Library during November. Call 556-0594.

AT THE ETHERREDGE CENTER through Dec. 19: Billy S. exhibits in the Upper Gallery, Ar thur Lien exhibits in the Lower Gallery. (803) 641-3305.

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THE POTTERY OF NELLIE ANDREWS PIERCE will be at the Ar t Factory through Jan. 9. Call 731-0008 for info.

“LET’S PLAY: PASTIMES FROM THE PAST” Nov. 29Feb. 15 at the Augusta Museum of History. For more information, call 722-8454.

33

“Deanne Dunbar: Objects of Desire” is at the Rabold Gallery in Aiken through Feb. 14.

WORKS BY PRISCILLA HOLLINGSWORTH will be on exhibit at MCG’s Rober t B. Greenblat t Library through Dec. 2. For more information, e-mail Lisa Westrick at lwestrick@mcg.edu.

Dance

“IT’S THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS” will be performed

by Augusta West Dance Studio Dec. 4-6 at the Maxwell Performing Ar ts Center. School performances are 10 a.m. and noon Dec. 4-5 and shows open to the public are Dec. 6, 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. All proceeds benefit the Make a Wish Foundation. Call Barbara Green at 860-0998.

“THE NUTCRACKER” will be performed Nov. 29 at 3 and 7 p.m. at the Washington Center for the Performing Ar ts in Aiken. Tickets are $38. For more information, call the Augusta Ballet at 261-0555.

“THE NUTCRACKER” will be at the Imperial Theatre Dec. 45, 7 p.m., Dec. 6, 1 and 5 p.m., and Dec. 7, 2 and 6 p.m.

Tickets are $17-$40. For more information, contact the Augusta Ballet, 261-0555.

THE DANCES OF UNIVERSAL PEACE held the first Saturday of every month, 7-9 p.m., at the Unitarian Church of Augusta, honor the religious traditions of the world through song and movement. Call (803) 643-0460 for more information.

AUGUSTA CHAPTER OF THE UNITED STATES AMATEUR BALLROOM DANCERS ASSOCIATION holds a dance the first Saturday of each month, from 7:15-11 p.m. Cost is $7 for members and $10 for non-members. Held at the BPOE facility on Elkdom Cour t. Contact Melvis Lovet t, 733-3890, or Jean Avery, 863-4186, for information.

CSRA/AUGUSTA BOGEY-WOOGIE DANCE AND SOCIAL GROUP meets every Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. at A World of Dance Studio. Couples, singles and newcomers are welcome. For information, phone 650-2396.

Music

ASU CONSERVATORY PROGR AM STUDENT RECITAL 2 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Ma xwell Per forming Ar ts Theatre.

Call 737-1453.

AUGUSTA CHILDREN’S CHOR ALE: DA CAPO sings at Borders Books and Music Dec. 6, noon. Call 826-4718 for information.

GREATER AUGUSTA YOUTH ORCHESTR AS FALL CONCERT 7 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Ma xwell Per forming Ar ts Theatre. Call 737-1453 for details.

“STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN” at the Bell Auditorium has been rescheduled for Jan. 17.

Tickets for the Nov. 15 per formance will be honored at the January per formance. Tickets are $34 for floor seats and seating in par ts of the balcony and $28 in the rest of the balcony. Call 722-3521.

Theater

“SCROOGE!” will be per formed Dec. 4-7 at 7 p.m., with a 3 p.m. Saturday matinee, at Stevens Creek Community Church. Tickets are $5 general admission and $10 reserved seating. Purchase tickets online at www.stevenscreek.net or by phone at 863-7002.

“THE HOMECOMING” will be per formed by the Young Ar tists Reper tory Theatre Company Dec. 11-13 at Augusta Preparatory Day School. Dec. 11-12 per formances include a dinner and desser t served before the show and Dec. 13 per formance is a desser t per formance. Tickets for dinner theatre are $20 adult, $18 seniors and $15 for youth 3 and up. Desser t theatre tickets are $14 adults, $12 children. Per formance-only tickets are $10-$12. Reservations required; call 210-8915.

“A SANDERS FAMILY CHRISTMAS” will be per formed Dec. 5-6 and 12-13 at the Abbeville Opera House. Call (864) 366-2157 for information.

“BEAUTY SHOP: UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT” at the Bell Auditorium has been postponed. The new date will be announced and ticket refunds may be received at the purchaser’s point of purchase. For more information, call 722-3521.

“THE NUTCR ACKER” will be per formed by students at Brookwood Elementary School 7 p.m. Dec. 2 and 9

34 M E T R O S P I R I T N O V 2 7

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a.m. Dec. 3. Free. For more information, contact Johnny Carr, 855-7596, ex t. 217.

Attractions AUGUSTA CANAL INTERPRETIVE CENTER: Housed in Enterprise Mill, the center contains displays and models focusing on the Augusta Canal’s functions and importance to the textile industry. Hours are Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sun., 1-6 p.m. Admission is $5 adult, $4 seniors and military and $3 children ages 6-18. Children under 6 admitted free. Guided boat tours of the Augusta Canal depart from the docks at Enterprise Mill at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Tour tickets are $6 adults, $5 seniors and $4 students and children. For tour information, call 823-7089. For other info, visit www.augustacanal.com or call 823-0440.

THE BOYHOOD HOME OF WOODROW WILSON: Circa 1859 Presbyterian manse occupied by the family of President Woodrow Wilson as a child during the Civil War and Reconstruction. Original and period antiques, restored house, kitchen and carriage house. 419 Seventh Street. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tues.-Sat. Tours available; groups of 10 or more by appointment only. Admission is $5 adults, $4 seniors, $3 students under 18 and free for ages 5 and under. 722-9828.

AUGUSTA GOLF & GARDENS OF THE GEORGIA GOLF HALL OF FAME features beautiful display gardens, as well as bronze sculptures of some of golf’s greatest masters.

Available for rent for a variety of functions. Group discount rates available. Closed Mondays; open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Tues.-Sat.; open from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5.50 for adults; $4.50 for students, seniors and military; $3.50 for children (4-12); free for children 3 and under.

Sundays are two for one with a Super Sunday coupon.

Annual garden memberships are available. Call 724-4443 or 1-888-874-4443. Also, visit their Web site at www.gghf.org.

NATIONAL SCIENCE CENTER’S FORT DISCOVERY: Children and adults alike can immerse themselves in the wonders of science through live demonstrations, vir tual realities, Starlab, KidScape and more than 250 hands-on exhibits. General Admission: $8 for adults; $6 for children,

seniors and active military. Group rates available. Operating hours: Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

Call 821-0200, 1-800-325-5445 or visit their Web site at www.NationalScienceCenter.org.

REDCLIFFE STATE HISTORIC SITE: 1859 mansion of S.C. Governor James Henry Hammond, held by the family for three generations until 1975. Grounds and slave quar ters are open Thursday-Monday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. House tours will be offered at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Admission to the grounds is free.

Fee for house tours is $3 for adults and children ages 6-17.

For more information, call (803) 827-1473. 181 Redcliffe Road, Beech Island.

SACRED HEART CULTURAL CENTER is offering tours of its 100-year-old building. Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $1 per person, children free. 826-4700.

HISTORIC COTTON EXCHANGE WELCOME CENTER: Open Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun. 1-5 p.m. Riverwalk. Free.

The center also offers guided driving tours of downtown Augusta and Summerville every Saturday through Aug. 4 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. and at other times upon request. Cost for tours is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 12 and under. Reservations are suggested. Call 724-4067.

THE EZEKIEL HARRIS HOUSE: Deemed “the finest 18th century house surviving in Georgia” by the “Smithsonian Guide to Historic America.” Open Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. General admission is $2; senior admission is $1 and children get in for 50 cents. For more information, call 724-0436.

Museums

FIRST FRIDAY BABY BOOMERS BASH 5-8 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Morris Museum of Ar t. Free musical enter tainment, food and exhibit tour of the Douglas Borgeois exhibit. 724-7501.

HOLIDAY AT THE MUSEUM Dec. 7 at the Augusta Museum of History. From noon-5 p.m., the museum will feature the work of ar tisans and craf tsmen, holiday craf ts for children, enter tainment, guided exhibit tours and a vist from Santa Claus. Admission is $3 adults, $1 children. 722-8454.

MASTERWORKS OF SOUTHERN ART TOUR Nov. 28 and 30, 2 p.m. at the Morris Museum of Ar t. Call 724-7501 for information.

“CELEBRATION OF FLIGHT” exhibit at For t Discovery’s Knox Gallery runs through Jan. 31. Admission to the exhibit is free with paid general admission to For t Discovery. For more information, visit www.NationalScienceCenter.org or call 821-0200.

THE GERTRUDE HERBERT INSTITUTE OF ART in Ware’s Folly exhibits works by local and regional ar tists. Ar t classes, workshops and other educational programming for children, youth and adults are held in the Walker-Mackenzie Studio. Open Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday by appointment only. Admission is free, but a donation of $2 for adults and $1 for children and seniors is encouraged. Call 722-5495 or visit www.ghia.org for more info.

THE AUGUSTA MUSEUM OF HISTORY hosts permanent exhibition “Augusta’s Story,” an award-winning exhibit encompassing 12,000 years of local history. For the younger crowd, there’s the Susan L. Still Children’s Discovery Gallery, where kids can learn about history in a hands-on environment. The museum also shows films in the History Theatre and hosts a variety of programs. Located at 560 Reynolds Street. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. Admission is $4 adult, $3 seniors, $2 kids (6-18 years of age) and free for children under 6. Free admission on Sundays. Call 722-8454 or visit www.augustamuseum.org for more information.

THE MORRIS MUSEUM OF ART hosts exhibitions and special events year-round. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, noon-5 p.m. Closed on Mondays and major holidays. 1 Tenth Street, Augusta. Call 724-7501 or visit www.themorris.org for details.

THE MUSEUM OF LAUREL AND HARDY OF HARLEM, GEORGIA features displays of various Laurel and Hardy memorabilia; films also shown. Located at 250 N. Louisville Street in downtown Harlem. Open 1-4 p.m. ThursdayMonday. For more information, call 556-3448.

LUNCH AT NOON LECTURE SERIES held the second Wednesday of every month at the Lucy Craf t Laney Museum of Black History, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Call the museum at 724-3576 for more information.

Special Events NORTH AUGUSTA CHRISTMAS TOUR OF HOMES Dec. 5-6. Candlelight tour Dec. 5, 5:30-9:30 p.m. Tour hours Dec. 6 are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The Nor th Augusta High School Auditorium features refreshments and a performance by the Boggie Sisters 1-2 p.m. Saturday, and the Nor th Augusta Country Club hosts a brunch and fashion shows 10 a.m. Saturday. Brunch and fashion show tickets are $8 in advance. Tour tickets are $15 in advance or $18 the day of the tour. Contact Linda Smiley, (803) 279-5074, or Linda Skinner, (803) 2794844, for information. “‘TIS THE SEASON” show at the Dupont Planetarium Dec. 5-6, 16, 19-20, 23, 27, 30 and Jan. 2-3 at 7 and 8 p.m. Prices are $4.50 adults, $3.50 senior citizens and $2.50 students K-12. Call (803) 641-3769.

K WANZA A CELEBR ATION at USC-Aiken Dec. 3.

Ex hibit by the Sankofa African-American Museum on Wheels will be on display in the second floor gym of the Business and Education Building. Guided tours from 3-5:30 p.m. Admission is one canned good. For more information, contact the Of fice of Mul ticul tural Af fairs, (803) 641-3442.

AIKEN JAYCEES CHRISTMAS PARADE in downtown Aiken Dec. 8, 3 p.m. Call (803) 648-8955.

AUTHOR APPEARANCE: Connie Glaser will be at the Augusta Jewish Community Center Dec. 4 to speak about her and Barbara Smalley’s book “What Queen Esther Knew: Business Strategies From a Biblical Sage.”

Program begins at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Call 228-3636.

SWAMP SATURDAY at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park Dec. 6, 9:30 a.m. Volunteer guides lead a t wo-mile, one-hour walk through the park. Bring insect repellent, comfor table walking shoes, water and weather-

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36 appropriate outer wear. Cameras and binoculars wel-

“A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY WITH ROCKY T. FRETZ” 8 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Newberry Opera House in Newberry, S.C. Call (803) 276-6264.

come. Free of charge. 828-2109.

M E NORTH AUGUSTA CHRISTMAS PARADE 3 p.m. Dec. 7 T in downtown Nor th Augusta. Call (803) 278-0082.

R O S P I R I T

CHILDREN’S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA CHRISTMAS PARADE AND FESTIVAL OF TREES: Parade is 10:30 a.m.-noon Dec. 6 in downtown Atlanta. Festival of Trees is at the Georgia World Congress Center, Exhibit Hall A-1, Dec. 6-14. Admission is $10 adults, $5 children, ages 212, and senior citizens, ages 65 and up. Proceeds benefit the AFLAC Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. (404) 785-NOEL.

GERTRUDE HERBERT INSTITUTE OF ART HOLIDAY ARTISTS’ MARKET Dec. 10-13. Enjoy ar ts and craf ts, exhibits, live music, storytelling, ar tists’ demonstrations, cookie-decorating contest, wine and cheese reception and more. Free admission. Call 722-5495.

FANTASY OF LIGHTS at Augusta Golf and Gardens Dec.

N 5-7, 12-14 and 17-24. Admission is $4 adults, $2 chilO dren. Kids in strollers admit ted free. Call 724-4443 or V

“OLD FASHION HOLIDAY” Dec. 6 in downtown Douglasville, Ga., with Kris Kringle Market and candlelight tour of homes. Call 1-800-661-0013.

667-9695.

2 7 BOOK SIGNINGS WITH STEVEN EUIN COBB Dec. 6, 2-

6 p.m. at Books-A-Million; Dec. 13, 2-6 p.m. at Borders

POTTERS’ MARKET Dec. 5-6 at the Stoneware Bison Co. farm in Columbia, S.C. Free. For more information, call (803) 794-3620 or visit www.pottersmarket.com.

737-6962; or Waldenbooks, 737-4287, for information.

“DAVID COPPERFIELD: AN INTIMATE EVENING OF GRAND ILLUSION” at the Johnny Mercer Theatre in Savannah, Ga., Dec. 2. 1-800-351-7469.

2 0 Books and Music; and Dec. 20, 2-6 p.m. at 0 Waldenbooks. Cobb will be signing copies of “Plague at 3 Redhook.” Call Books-A-Million, 481-9090; Borders,

AIKEN TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY Nov. 28, 5:30 p.m. at the Newberry Street Festival Center, kicks off Holly Days in Aiken. Nov. 29 events include free camel rides, pictures with Santa, holiday craf ts for kids, scavenger hunt and more. For info, call (803) 649-2221.

ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CRAFT SHOW Dec. 5-6 at the Weeks Center in Aiken from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mrs. Claus will visit on Saturday. Free admission. (803) 642-7631.

HOLIDAY EXTR AVAGANZA 5-8 p.m. Dec. 4 at Stevens Creek Elementar y School. Craf ts, refreshments and more will be available. Contact Donna Hickmon, 868-3705, ex t. 364, for information.

TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY at Nor th Augusta’s John C. Calhoun Park 6 p.m. Dec. 1. Call (803) 441-4300 for details.

THE RICHMOND ACADEMY CLASS OF 1968 REUNION will be held Nov. 28-29. For information, call Hap Harris, 724-2452, or e-mail Gail Evans Pat t y at Academy1968@aol.com.

Let us cater your holiday get together

It’s time once again for the Salley Chitlin’ Strut in Salley, S.C. on Nov. 29. Call (803) 258-3485 or visit www.chitlinstrut.com.

MCDUFFIE FRIENDS OF ANIMALS holds pet adoptions each Saturday, 1-3 p.m. at Superpetz on Bobby Jones Expressway. Call 556-9090 or visit www.pet finder.com.

COLUMBIA COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY holds pet adoptions every Saturday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and every Sunday from 1-4 p.m. at PetsMar t. For more info, call 860-5020.

RICHMOND COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL AND AUGUSTA ANIMAL RESCUE FRIENDS hold pet adoptions at Superpetz off Bobby Jones Expressway every Sunday from 1-4 p.m.

Call AARF at 364-4747 or visit www.aarf.net. Adoptions also held at the Richmond County Animal Control Shelter, Tues.Sun., 1-5 p.m. Call the shelter at 790-6836.

THE CSRA HUMANE SOCIETY holds pet adoptions every Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and every Wednesday evening

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Out of Town

THANKSGIVING CLASSIC PAINT HORSE SHOW Nov. 2830 at Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry, Ga. (770) 844-7275.

“HENRY V” will be at The New American Shakespeare Tavern in Atlanta Nov. 27-30 and Dec. 7. Ticket prices range from $19.50-$24.50, and optional food and beverage service is available before the show. For additional information, or to purchase tickets, visit www.shakespearetavern.com or call (404) 874-5299.

SALLEY CHITLIN’ STRUT Nov. 29 in Salley, S.C. For more information, call (803) 258-3485 or visit www.chitlinstrut.com.

HOLIDAY PROGRAM Nov. 29-30 at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. From 1-4 p.m., patrons of all ages can create their own greeting cards. (404) 733-4501.

APPALACHIAN THANKSGIVING Nov. 27, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at Amicalola Falls State Park and Lodge in Dawsonville, Ga. Call (706) 265-8888.

THE LETTERMEN will be at the Newberry Opera House in Newberry, S.C., Dec. 4, 3 and 8 p.m. Call (803) 276-6264 for tickets.

ADOPTION INFORMATION SESSION Dec. 6, 9:30 a.m.1:30 p.m., at the Independent Adoption Center in Tucker, Ga. Call (404) 321-6900.

“A CHRISTMAS CAROL” will be presented Nov. 28-Dec. 28 on the Alliance Stage in Atlanta as part of the Alliance Theatre Company’s Family Series. For ticket information, visit www.alliancetheatre.org or call (404) 733-4600.

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Holiday Concerts “AUGUSTA OPERA AT ST. PAUL’S: EDWARD BRADBERRY HOLIDAY CONCERT” 3:30 and 6 p.m. Dec. 7 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Tickets are $25; tickets for holiday tea between performances are $10. Call 826-4710.

“O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL” Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m., at First Baptist Church of Evans. Tickets are available from Columbia County Choral Society members or at the door and are $8 adults, $6 for senior citizens and students and $21 for season tickets. Call 364-5920 or visit www.ccchoralsociety.org.

“A FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS” with the Augusta Collegium Musicum and the Lakeside High School Chorus Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m., at Sacred Heart Cultural Center. Admission is $15.

Call 826-4700.

HOLIDAY POPS AT THE BELL with Bravo Broadway and the Augusta Symphony Orchestra Dec. 5, 8 p.m., at the Bell Auditorium. Tickets are $10$40 and can be purchased online at www.augustasymphony.org or by phone at 826-4705.

HOLIDAY COFFEEHOUSE WITH ORCHESTRA CONCERT AND ART GALLERY Dec. 7 at Davidson Fine Arts School’s Beverly J. Barnhart Theater and Commons. General admission is $2. Call 823-6924, ext. 118, for information.

DICKENS CHRISTMAS CAROLING Dec. 5-6 at Augusta Common. Caroling begins at 7 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m.

Saturday. For more information, contact Charlotte Lynn, 650-1734, or Riverwalk Special Events, 821-1754.

HOLLY DAYS CONCERT SERIES Dec. 7, 14 and 21 in downtown Aiken. For more information, call (803) 649-2221.

AIKEN CHORAL SOCIETY WINTER CONCERT Dec. 6-7. For more information, call (803) 649-6367.

“THE MUSIC OF BROADWAY, HOLIDAY STYLE” with Bravo Broadway and the Augusta Symphony Orchestra 8 p.m.

Dec. 6. Performance is at USC-Aiken’s Etherredge Center. For tickets, call the box office at (803) 641-3305.

U.S. ARMY SIGNAL CORPS BAND HOLIDAY CONCERT 7 p.m. Dec. 5 at First Baptist Church on Walton Way. Free and open to the public. Call 7332236 for information.

HOLIDAY CHORUS CONCERT AND STUDENT-DIRECTED ONE-ACT PLAYS Dec. 9 at Davidson Fine Arts School. Tickets are $8 adult, $7 senior citizens and children under 5 and $6 for Davidson students. Call 823-6924, ext. 107 or 135.

JUMP5 CHRISTMAS with Jump5 and Jadyn Maria Dec. 7, 6:30 p.m., at New Hope Church of God in Grovetown.

Tickets are $5 at the door. Call 8686410 for information.

“HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS” season party with the Augusta Opera Dec. 4, 7 p.m. For tickets and info, call 826-4710.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT with the USCA/Aiken Community Band Dec. 2, 8 p.m., at the Etherredge Center. For more information, call the Etherredge Center box office at (803) 641-3305.

THE ACCIDENTALS perform The Roger Denning Memorial Holiday Concert at the Dec. 2 installment of Tuesday’s Music Live. All concerts are at noon at Saint Paul’s Church. For tickets, call the box office at 722-3463.

CAROLS IN THE PARK 6 p.m. Dec. 4 at Creighton Living History Park in North Augusta. Call (803) 441-4300 for information.

“FEAST OF CAROLS” holiday madrigal dinner and show Dec. 4-5 at 7 p.m. at USC-Aiken’s Etherredge Center. For more information, visit www.usca.edu or call (803) 641-3305.

TICKETS FOR “A MOZART TO MOTOWN CHRISTMAS” now on sale.

Show will be staged Nov. 29 at the Imperial Theatre. Tickets are $30 general admission or $45 VIP admission.

To order tickets, call the Imperial Theatre box office at 722-8341.

“CHRISTMAS FROM DUBLIN” with the Three Irish Tenors will be at the Newberry Opera House in Newberry, S.C., Dec. 3, 3 and 8 p.m. Call (803) 276-6264 for tickets.

FAMILY CHRISTMAS CONCERT with the Augusta Concert Band Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m., at the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre on the campus of Augusta State University. Free admission; donations accepted. Call (803) 202-0091 for details.

“ATLANTA BALLET’S NUTCRACKER” will be performed by the Atlanta Ballet Nov. 29-Dec. 27 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. For tickets, call (404) 817-8700.

“FANTASY IN LIGHTS” holiday light show at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Ga., through Dec. 28. For ticket info, call 1-800-CALLAWAY. “SAVION AT THE RIALTO” Nov. 28-30 at the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets start at $25. Call (404) 651-4727.

“HENRY IV, PART II” will be at The New American Shakespeare Tavern in Atlanta Dec. 6. Ticket prices range from $19.50-$24.50, and optional food and beverage service is available before the show. For additional information, or to purchase tickets, visit www.shakespearetavern.com or call (404) 874-5299.

HISTORIC COLUMBIA HOUSE MUSEUM GUIDED TOURS through Jan. 4. Guided holiday tours are available every hour on the hour 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5 per house for adults and $3 per house for children ages 6-17. Children under 6 and members of Historic Columbia admit ted free. Combination ticket for all four houses is $18 on Saturday and Sunday. (803) 252-1770, ex t. 24.

AT THE GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART in Athens, Ga.: “Enchanting Modern: Ilonka Karasz, 1896-1981” through Feb. 8. Visit www.uga.edu/gamuseum for info.

“HENRY IV, PART I” will be at The New American Shakespeare Tavern in Atlanta Dec. 5. Ticket prices range from $19.50-$24.50, and optional food and beverage service is available before the show. For additional information, or to purchase tickets, visit www.shakespearetavern.com or call (404) 874-5299.

“THE HOLLY AND THE IVY” holiday celebration at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., through Jan. 4. For information, call 1-800-922-0046 or (828) 225-1333 or visit www.biltmore.com.

“RICHARD II” will be at The New American Shakespeare Tavern in Atlanta Dec. 4. Ticket prices range from $19.50$24.50, and optional food and beverage service is available before the show. For additional information, or to purchase tickets, visit www.shakespearetavern.com or call (404) 874-5299.

“EDWARD HOPPER AND URBAN REALISM” will be on display at the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, S.C., through Jan. 18. (803) 799-2810.

“A SALUTE TO 25 YEARS OF THE GEORGIA MUSIC HALL OF FAME AWARDS” runs through Jan. 18, 2004, at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon, Ga. Exhibits, programs and events honoring the 25th anniversary of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame awards. Call 1-888-GA-ROCKS for info.

AT THE GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART in Athens, Ga.: “Conversion to Modernism: The Early Works of Man Ray,” through Nov. 30. Call (706) 542-4662.

AT THE HIGH MUSEUM OF ART in Atlanta: “The Undiscovered Richard Meier: The Architect as Designer and Ar tist” through April 4; “Af ter Whistler: The Ar tist and His Influence on American Painting” through Feb. 8; “Verrocchio’s David Restored: A Renaissance Bronze From the National Museum of the Bargello, Florence” through Feb. 8; and “Photography Past/Forward: Aper ture at 50” through Nov. 29. Call (404) 733-HIGH or visit www.high.org for information.

Benefits COOKOUT AND TRACTOR CONTEST to benefit Hematology/Oncology at the MCG Children’s Medical Center Dec. 5, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Reliable Equipment Rental, 4001 Washington Rd. Call 721-CARE. SOUTHEASTERN PARALYZED VETERANS FOURTH ANNUAL AUGUSTA TOYS FOR TOTS RUN Dec. 7.

Par ticipants on motorcycles will leave the Augusta Museum of History at approximately 2 p.m. and arrive at Southeastern Paralyzed Veterans headquar ters at approximately 3 p.m. Contact Larry J. Dodson at (803) 442-3877 for details.

WEST LAKE GARDEN CLUB CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR to raise money for the Columbia County Foundation for Children Dec. 6, 1-5 p.m. Tickets are $10. 863-1252.

MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION MIRACLE OF LIGHTS at the Augusta Mall through Dec. 7. Dec. 6 breakfast with Santa costs $7 and proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Call 774-WISH for more information.

AUGUSTA-RICHMOND COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL is in need of dog and cat food, cat lit ter and other pet items, as well as monetary donations to help pay for vaccinations.

Donations accepted during regular business hours, Tues.Sun., 1-5 p.m. at the shelter, 4164 Mack Lane. Call 7906836 for information.

SHEPEARD COMMUNITY BLOOD CENTER BLOOD DRIVES in various locations around the CSRA this month. For detailed information on locations and times to donate, visit www.shepeardblood.org. You may also call Susan Edwards at (803) 643-7996 for information on Aiken locations and Nancy Szocinski at 737-4551 for information on all other locations.

AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES at the Aiken Red Cross Blood Center on Millbrook Drive and the Augusta Red Cross Blood Center on Pleasant Home Road. The bloodmobile will also stop at various area locations this week. For a complete list, call the Aiken Blood Center at (803) 642-5180 or the Augusta Blood Center at 868-8800.

Learning GRANT WRITING CLASSES with local nonprofit group JLJ Resources Dec. 6, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at USC-Aiken. Fee is $100 and registration is required. Call 210-2547.

USC-AIKEN CONTINUING EDUCATION offers Italian, Ar t for Beginners, Debt-Free Living, Financial Strategies, Taming the Wild Child, Paralegal Cer tificate Course and more. Travelearn learning vacations for adults and Education to Go online courses also available. For info, phone (803) 641-3563.

AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY CONTINUING EDUCATION is now offering the following classes: QuarkXPress, A Prosperous Retirement, Intermediate Investing, All Things Dutch, Origami and more. Also, ASU offers online courses.

For more information, call 737-1636 or visit www.ced.aug.edu.

AIKEN TECH CONTINUING EDUCATION offers the following courses: Microsof t Cer tified System Administrator courses, health care courses, defensive driving and more. Aiken Tech also offers Education to Go classes online. For more information or to register, call (803) 593-9231, ex t. 1230.

Health BREAST SELF-EXAM CLASS 5 p.m. Dec. 8 at the University Breast Health Center. Reservations are required. 774-4141.

PINK MAGNOLIAS BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP meets 7 p.m. Dec. 8 at the University Breast Health Center.

Open to all women who have undergone breast cancer surgery or treatment for breast cancer. Men’s breast cancer suppor t group for husbands, significant others and male family members of breast cancer patients meets at the same time. Call 774-4141.

“GROWING UP FOR GIRLS” program for preteen girls, ages 8-12, and a female role model to discuss puber t y.

Workshop takes place Dec. 9, 6-8 p.m., at the conference center at the MCG Children’s Medical Center. Free and open to the public. Registration is required. To register, call 721-KIDS. LYMPHEDEMA EDUCATION FOR PATIENTS UNDERGOING BREAST CANCER SURGERY at the University Breast Health Center 5 p.m. Dec. 2. Call 774-4141 for information.

AUGUSTA BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUP meets the second Thursday of every month, 6 p.m., at Walton West TLC. Brain injury survivors and their family members and caregivers are invited to at tend. 737-9300.

FORE THE HEALTH OF IT ADAPTIVE GOLF CLINICS held the first Tuesday of every month at First Tee of Augusta.

Physical and occupational therapists from Walton Rehabilitation Hospital will guide the course. Call 823-8691.

CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT GROUP meets the first Thursday of every month, 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Walton Rehabilitation Hospital. 823-5294.

STROKE SUPPORT GROUP meets the last Wednesday of the month, 1-2 p.m., in the outpatient classroom at Walton Rehabilitation Hospital. 823-5213.

WALTON REHABILITATION HOSPITAL AMPUTEE CLINIC for new and experienced prosthetic users meets the third Thursday of each month, 1-3 p.m. 722-1244.

WALTON REHABILITATION HOSPITAL offers a number of health programs, including Fibromyalgia Aquatics, Water Aerobics, Wheelchair and Equipment Clinics, Theraputic Massage, Yoga, Acupuncture, Children’s Medical Services Clinic, Special Needs Safety Seat Loaner Program, Focus on Healing exercise class for breast cancer survivors and more.

Call 823-5294 for information.

THE MCG BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP meets the first Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. and provides education and suppor t for those with breast cancer. For information, call 721-1467.

UNIVERSITY HEALTH CARE SYSTEM COMMUNITY EDUCATION holds workshops, seminars and classes on a variety of topics: weight and nutrition, women’s health, cancer, diabetes, seniors’ health and more. Suppor t groups and health screenings are also offered. Call 736-0847 for details.

Kids “‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS” will be presented by the Augusta State University Born to Read Literacy Center and Patchwork Players Dec. 11.

Shows are at the Ma xwell Per forming Ar ts Theatre at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. Tickets are $3 per person. Call 7337043 for reservations.

“GERTRUDE HERBERT INSTITUTE OF ART FAMILY WORKSHOP: HOLIDAY HEYDAY” 10 a.m.-noon Dec. 6. Children ages 5-11 with accompanying adult will create ornaments and other holiday items. Pre-registration is required; call 722-5495.

FAMILY Y SCHOOL’S OUT PRIME TIME PROGR AM for children 5-12 years old with limited space available for 4-year-olds Nov. 28. Activities held 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Family Y’s Wheeler Branch location with early drop-of f and late pick-up times available. Daily fees are $14 per child pre-registered or $20 per child registering the day of the program. 738-7006.

AIKEN COUNTY PONY CLUB meets weekly. Open to children of all ages who par ticipate or are interested in equestrian spor ts. For more information, contact Lisa Smith at (803) 649-3399.

FREE CAR SEAT EDUCATION CLASSES for parents and other caregivers the third Monday of every month from 911 a.m. at MCG Children’s Medical Center. Registration is required; those who are Medicaid or Peachcare eligible should indicate status during registration and bring a card or proof of income to class in order to receive a free car seat. 721-KIDS. “TECHNOLOGY AND TENNIS FOR LIFE” FALL SESSION through MACH Academy will be held through Dec. 18 at May Park Community Center or Fleming Tennis Center.

Program includes homework assistance, computer instruction, tennis and fitness instruction, field trips and more. Fee is $50 per month. For information, call 796-5046.

GIRLS INCORPORATED OF THE CSRA AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM runs through May 21. Open to girls currently enrolled in kindergar ten through high school. In addition to offering specialized programs, Girls Incorporated offers van pick-up at select schools, neighborhood drop-off, homework room and a hot evening meal. For information, call 733-2512.

WEEKLY STORY SESSIONS at all branch libraries. Visit www.ecgrl.public.lib.ga.us for more information.

FIRST SATURDAY STORYTELLING at the Lucy Craf t Laney Museum. In addition, there is a tour of the museum. Held 10 a.m.-noon the first Saturday of the month. Call 724-3576.

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CSRA HUMANE SOCIETY NEW VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION PROGRAM the third Saturday of every month at the Pet Center, 425 Wood St. Orientation starts at 11 a.m. Volunteers under 18 years of age must have a parent or guardian present during orientation and while volunteering. Call 261-PETS for information.

S P I R I T

THE KITTY ORTIZ DE LEON FOUNDATION needs volunteers to help promote organ donor awareness. For more information, please contact Cassandra Reed or Espy De Leon at 394-0838 or kodfoundation@aol.com.

DIET COUNSELING CLASSES for diabetics and those with high cholesterol at CSRA Par tners in Health, 1220 Augusta West Parkway. Free. Call 860-3001 for class schedule.

PROJECT LINK COMMUNITY LECTURE SERIES is held the first Tuesday of every month and is sponsored by the MCG Children’s Medical Center. Project Link provides educational resources and guidance for families who have children with developmental delays, disabilities and other specialized health concerns. Free and open to the public; takes place from 6:30-8 p.m. in the main conference room at the Children’s Medical Center. Dec. 2 lecture is on “504 and Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, Par t II.” Call 7216838 for information.

COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATE PROGR AM VOLUNTEER TR AINING: The CASA program is looking for volunteers 21 years of age and older to advocate for abused and neglected children in the juvenile cour t system. Volunteers need no experience and will be provided with specialized training. Call 737-4631.

The Augusta Ballet performs “The Nutcracker” Nov. 29 in Aiken and Dec. 4-7 in Augusta. Call the ballet at 261-0555 for details.

Seniors WALTON REHABILITATION HOSPITAL offers Ar thritis Aquatics and People With Ar thritis Can Exercise. Call 8235294 for information.

SENIOR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE NEW VISITOR CENTER AT PHINIZY SWAMP NATURE PARK to greet visitors, hand out literature and sell merchandise. Volunteers are asked to commit one Saturday or Sunday per month, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. or 1-5 p.m. Call 828-2109 for information.

AIKEN PARKS AND RECREATION offers a multitude of programs for senior adults, including bridge clubs, fitness classes, canasta clubs, line dancing, racquetball, ar ts and craf ts, tennis and excursions. For more information, call (803) 642-7631.

THE ACADEMY FOR LIFELONG LEARNING of fers lectures, courses, field trips, discussion groups and community information seminars on a variety of topics to mature adults. For more information, contact the USC-Aiken Of fice of Continuing Education at (803) 641-3288.

THE SENIOR CITIZENS COUNCIL OF GREATER AUGUSTA AND THE CSRA offers a variety of classes, including ballroom dance, aerobics, quilting, tai chi, Spanish, line dancing, bowling, bridge, computers, drama club/readers theatre and pinochle. For dates and times, phone 826-4480.

SENIORNET provides adults age 50 and over education for and access to computer technology. Many different courses are offered. Contact the USC-Aiken Continuing Education Office at (803) 641-3563.

Sports THE AUGUSTA FLASH FAST-PITCH TR AVEL TEAM is looking for players for the 2004 season. Players must be at least 15 years of age as of Jan. 1, 2004. For tryout information, contact Jef f Towe, 868-8485, or Vicki Parker, 854-7711.

THE AUGUSTA VOLLEYBALL ASSOCIATION is looking for new members. For more information, visit www.augsutavolleyball.com.

AUGUSTA LYNX HOME GAMES Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 12-13, 19-20, 28 and 31. For tickets, call 724-4423 or visit www.augustalynx.com.

THE AUGUSTA RUGBY CLUB is always looking for new members. Teams available for women and men; no experience necessary. Practice is Tuesday and Thursday nights, 79 p.m. at Richmond Academy. For more information, call Don Zuehlke, 495-2043, or e-mail augustar fc@yahoo.com.

You may also visit www.augustarugby.org.

Volunteer AARP TAX-AIDE is looking for volunteers to dedicate four or more hours per week from Feb. 1-April 15

assisting senior ta xpayers. Five-day free training course for Ta x-Aide volunteers begins in January. For more information, contact William J. Kozel at 210-3048.

THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT COALITION is looking for volunteers with basic computer skills to prepare ta x returns for individuals with low and limited income, individuals with disabilities, non-English speaking persons and elderly ta xpayers. Volunteers receive free training and instruction materials from the IRS and will serve at VITA sites throughout the community. For more information, contact Sheryl Silva, 826-4480, ex t. 341.

AUGUSTA/CSR A HABITAT FOR HUMANITY needs volunteers at ReStore, Walton Way and Tenth Street, to assist with receiving donations of new and used building and home improvement materials and warehousing them for sale to the public. The store is open Thursday-Saturday year-round. If you can commit eight or more hours per month, contact Steve Buck, 364-7637.

MENTORS AND VOLUNTEERS needed to provide suppor t for MACH Academy at the May Park Community Center and the Fleming Tennis Center. Education, tutoring and technology sessions held Monday-Thursday, 3-6 p.m. at each location. Tennis instruction and fitness activities held Monday-Thursday, 6-7 p.m. at May Park and Monday-Tuesday, 6-8 p.m., Friday, 6-8 p.m. and Saturday, 2-5 p.m. at the Fleming Center.

796-5046.

FOSTER PARENTS NEEDED for children and teenagers in Richmond County. For information, contact Luera Lewis, 721-3718.

PHINIZY SWAMP NATURE PARK VISITOR CENTER is in need of volunteers to greet visitors, hand out literature and sell merchandise. Volunteers must commit to one Saturday or Sunday each month, from either 9 a.m.-1 p.m. or 1-5 p.m. 828-2109.

UNITED HOSPICE OF AUGUSTA is in need of volunteers to suppor t terminally ill patients. Scheduling and training times are flexible. Call Donna Harrell at 650-1522 for information.

THE ARTISTS’ CONSERVATORY THEATRE OF THE CSR A is looking for volunteer board members, actors and production crew. Call 556-9134 or e-mail act@theatermail.net.

SERVICE CORPS OF RETIRED EXECUTIVES (SCORE) provides counseling and mentoring to businesspeople star ting up a new business or expanding an ongoing business. Services are provided free of charge. For more information, call the Augusta of fice at 793-9998.

SOUTHERNCARE HOSPICE SERVICE is currently seeking volunteers to per form a variety of tasks, including relieving caregivers, reading to patients and running errands. Training is included. For additional information, contact Lisa Simpson, (803) 463-9888 or 869-0205.

GOLDEN HARVEST FOOD BANK needs volunteers during the day, from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, to help sor t donated products and assist in their agency shopping area.

Help is needed year-round. If you are able to lift 25 pounds, can commit to at least 3-4 hours per month and would like to help fight hunger in the Augusta area, contact Laurie Roper at 736-1199, ex t. 208.

AUGUSTA-RICHMOND COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL: New volunteer orientation is scheduled the first Saturday of each month at 1 p.m. at the shelter, 4164 Mack Lane. Schedule subject to change; call 790-6836 to verify dates and times.

SHEPEARD COMMUNITY BLOOD CENTER is seeking donors to prevent a blood supply shor tage. To donate call 737-4551, 854-1880 or (803) 643-7996.

Meetings THE MARINE CORPS LEAGUE/LT. COL. JIMMIE DYESS DETACHMENT AUGUSTA meets Nov. 30, 5 p.m., at the VFW Club. Contact Karenann Amster, 863-6374.

THE NORTH AUGUSTA ARTIST GUILD is open to all visual ar tists and meets the first Tuesday of each month in the Ar ts and Crafts Room at the Riverview Park Activities Center.

Meetings begin at 7 p.m. Contact Yvonne Kinney, 819-9787.

AUGUSTA NEWCOMERS CLUB holds a monthly coffee for prospective members the first Tuesday of every month. For more information, contact Ruth Pearl, 650-1400.

Weekly

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS meets every Sunday night, 7:30 p.m., at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Nor th Augusta.

For more information, call 278-5156.

NAR-ANON FAMILY GROUP for relatives and friends of drug abusers. No dues or fees. The group meets Mondays at 7 p.m. Call for location. For information, contact Josie, 4145576, or Lionel, 860-0302.

GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS meets Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m., in Room 420 of the Summerville Professional Building and Thursdays, 7:30 p.m., in the basement of Fairview Presbyterian Church. 1-800-313-0170.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: For more information and a meeting schedule, call 860-8331.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: If you want to stop using any drugs, there is a way out. Help is available at no cost. Call the Narcotics Anonymous help line for information and meeting schedules at 855-2419.

SEXAHOLICS ANONYMOUS, a 12-step program of recovery from addiction to obsessive/compulsive sexual thoughts and behaviors, meets Wednesdays at 8 p.m. at Christ Church Unity, 2301 Central Ave. Call 339-1204 and leave first name and phone number; a confidential reply is assured.

GUIDELINES: Public service announcements are listed in this section without charge at the discretion of the editor.

Announcements must be received by Monday at noon and will be included as space permits. Send to Events, Metro Spirit, P.O. Box 3809, Augusta, GA 30914 or fax (706) 733-6663. You may also e-mail listings to rhonda.jones@metrospirit.com or lisa.jordan@metrospirit.com. Listings cannot be taken over the phone.

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Arts: Music

Augusta Symphony Plus Broadway Singers — Bravo!

S

o you’re not going to Broadway this season, huh? Well, you’re not getting out of it that easily — Broadway’s going to be breathing down your neck in another week. Or shall we say, kissing your flesh with its sweet breath. Or something like that. Anyway, it’s going to be here, right in your backyard, if your backyard happens to contain the Bell Auditorium.

The show is called “Bravo Broadway,” and it was put together by opera singer turned producer John Such in the early 1990s in order to bring an affordable Broadway evening to symphony orchestras around the world.

“And so that was the concept in creating it,” he said. “I saw that there was a need when I put this together in ’93.

There were a lot of headliners out there charging a lot of money to put together various programs. I didn’t see Broadway performers with large credits singing with orchestras.”

He explained, however, that he probably actually started working on it in 1992, because ’93 was the year he began putting all the actual elements together, as well as the year the first “Bravo Broadway” show went on, and orchestras generally do their booking a year or two in advance.

“I’ve got bookings in 2005 now,” Such said.

He said that the “Bravo Broadway” concept incorporates various types of Broadway shows, such as theme evenings built around a single composer or period.

They do songs from “Mama Mia” to “The Lion King,” he said, in an effort to satisfy the tastes of those who love the classic songs and those who prefer the newer works. But even that isn’t all they do.

“In addition to the Broadway evenings,” he said, “we also offer a big-band evening where we feature the music from the big-band era. Of course, we have our holiday show which we’re doing in Augusta.”

They even do a tribute to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, which is performed by a couple of singers and a couple of dancers.

We asked him to describe the experience — to tell us how “Bravo Broadway” feels.

“I think that our shows are very audience-accessible,” he said. “Though I really strive to present a really classy evening, I certainly want the audience to have a good time. Audiences of all kinds will feel comfortable.”

His original idea, he said, was to bring in people who may not normally go to the symphony, and give them an experi-

ence that makes them want to return, and then begin to enjoy the classical work as well.

“And in some cases we’ve found that that has indeed happened,” he said.

“People are buying season tickets hoping that they might get a good seat for ‘Bravo Broadway.’”

The show is in its 11th year now, Such

By Rhonda Jones

Such’s voice that gave away his love of the genre, so I asked if he had been a performer himself. “I indeed was. I was an opera singer originally, and I did the national tour of ‘Evita’ as Juan Perone.”

After that, he said, he went behind the scenes in the opera world. And now, in addition to “Bravo Broadway,” he manages a roster of opera singers.

Michael Maguire, tenor said, and they have had many repeat bookings. The Eastern Connecticut Symphony, for instance, has been with them every year from the very beginning.

And they keep getting new business as well.

“This year for the first time, we performed with the Brazil Symphony Orchestra in Rio de Janeiro,” he said.

“It’s been great.”

There was a certain excitement in

We also spoke to “Bravo … ” singer Michael Maguire, a tenor, who won several awards, including a Tony, for his performance as Enjolras in the original Broadway company of “Les Miserables.” He has even performed for Queen Elizabeth in the Royal Variety Show, among other things, of course, too numerous to mention. I asked him if the Bravo shows were much different from what he usually

does. “Well it’s not Broadway stuff; it’s more Christmas stuff. I’m still just singing a song.”

But the two types of songs have something in common, he said: They have a similar effect on the audience.

“I think the reason that Broadway pops concerts work well … most of the audience is familiar with the songs, and I think that almost everybody has some kind of connection with the Christmas songs we’re going to sing. It’s a commonality that works for the audience — and for me too.”

He said he’ll sing “Oh, Chanukah,” an old Yiddish song. “O Holy Night” will also be performed, he said, and he will narrate “The Night Before Christmas” while the orchestra plays it as a tone poem.

“And stuff like ‘Santa Baby,’ I know is one of the songs. We’ve got a wonderful arrangement of ‘The Little Drummer Boy’ which is a lot of fun.”

I asked him what it was like to perform for “Bravo,” so he broke it down.

“It’s fun,” he said. “Well, you get to stand on stage and sing a bunch of great Christmas songs and get paid for it.”

And he added, at this point in his career, walking onstage is easy. “And it really is fun singing Christmas songs. It’s fun to take the songs you’ve done for years and years and have a great orchestra behind it, instead of singing it around Grandma’s piano.”

As for the rest of the year, he said, when he’s not singing Christmas songs with “Bravo … ” he travels from one symphony to another. “I also do a big-band show which has become quite popular.”

After this, he said, he is going to sing a concert for a 10-day Caribbean cruise. He’s also going to sing for a cruise to Tahiti.

“I just go around and sing all over the place,” he said.

Maguire will be joined by soprano Jan Horvath, who was a member of the original Broadway company of “The Phantom of the Opera,” for which she performed as Christine and Carlotta. She also performed with Sting in the Broadway production of “The Threepenny Opera.”

Baritone Douglas Webster won the Concert Artists Guild prize and the Joy in Singing Award for classical vocalists while working on the Broadway/National Tour production of “Les Miserables.”

Bravo Broadway will perform with Augusta Symphony Orchestra at the Bell Auditorium on Friday, Dec. 5 at 8 p.m.

Tickets range from $10 to $40. For info, call (706) 826-4705 or visit the symphony Web site at www.augustasymphony.org.

Holiday Gatherings?

41

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Arts: Music

Holiday Music by Augusta Opera and Tuesday’s Music Live

A

ugusta Opera has a lot of Christmas planned for next weekend, in the form of their Home for the Holidays party Thursday and the two Sunday performances of Augusta Opera at St. Paul’s: The Edward Bradberry Holiday Concert. Between those two Sunday performances will be something new for more recent Augusta Opera fans, but an old favorite for longtime patrons. The Holiday Tea is back.

And this is no namby-pamby little-finger-out event, according to the description given to Metro Spirit by Augusta Opera Managing Director Katherine DeLoach.

“Well they’ve got wassail, a wine table, coffee and tea, wonderful desserts. You name it; they’ve got it,” she said. “Little sandwiches. It’s a big spread of food.”

She guesses it’s been about three years since the Opera has held a Holiday Tea. They stopped, she said, because the event was run by the Augusta Opera Guild, and when the guild disbanded, no one took the reins right away. But now, former guild members Mary Russell and Donna Jannik have come through, she said, as event co-chairs.

“We’ve sent out postcards to people saying, ‘Guess what? We’re bringing it back,’ so we’ve had a lot of calls.”

“People love the tea, you know,” she added. “Attending that tea between the two (Sunday) concerts.”

She said that, because the performers enjoy the tea as well, it is a good way to meet the people in the holiday performance.

“There are four international artists,” she said. “Actually five if you count our pianist as well — pianist Robin Stamper.”

She said the holiday concert incorporates the pieces that Augusta Opera has done since its inception 20 years ago.

“We’re singing some traditional carols, some operatic pieces,” she said. “The ‘Ave Maria.’ There are some European carols that are going to be sung in French that are quite beautiful.”

There’s even a piece, she said, that was written in a concentration camp on Jan. 3, 1946.

“It’s quite a few pieces. There are some pieces that are sung in English, some sung in the original language. We always finish the concert with ‘Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.’ It’s very powerful, with the organ and all the percussion; it’s very moving. It’s always the big finale.”

“We try to make it a concert that includes many different kinds of music,” she added. “It’s not Christian music; it’s not Jewish music.”

There is something a little different this year, however. Instead of calling the holiday concert Augusta Opera at St. Paul’s,

By Rhonda Jones

and costs $25. The Holiday Tea will be held at 5 p.m. and costs $10 to attend.

For info, call (706) 826-4710.

Jonathan Boyd, tenor

Colleen Gaetano, soprano

Terence Murphy, baritone

Maria Zifchak, mezzo-soprano

they’ve added “Edward Bradberry Holiday Concert” to the name, in honor of the former Augusta Opera director who passed away in 2002.

But just a few days before the holiday performances and the tea, Augusta Opera will hold its annual holiday party.

“That has been an annual event for … gosh, I don’t know how many years now,” DeLoach said. “This is a board fundraising project. It’s always at a beautiful home here in Augusta, one that I believe

a lot of people would enjoy seeing.”

There will be heavy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, she said, with singing by Augusta Opera cast members, door prizes and a raffle. As for attire, she said, semi-formal is good.

Augusta Opera’s Home for the Holidays party will be held at a private residence at 7 p.m. on Dec. 4. Make reservations by Dec. 1. Tickets are $75.

The Edward Bradberry Holiday Concert will be held at 3:30 p.m. and at 6 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church downtown on Dec. 7,

The Accidentals, from the University of Georgia, will perform at St. Paul’s Dec. 2 as part of Tuesday’s Music Live.

Tuesday’s Music Live If you’re inclined to go in search of a lunchtime concert, The Accidentals of the University of Georgia, Athens, are coming over to sing at St. Paul’s on Dec. 2.

These guys, whose majors range from consumer economics to religion, are a 12-member a capella group who enjoy flexing their windpipes. According to their Web site, the whole thing started in 1974, when the director at the time of the men’s glee club — a man named Dr. E. Pierce Arant Jr., who was apparently known simply as “Coach” — decided that what the group really needed was a feature quartet.

In the 1980s, the quartet became a … whatever you call an eight-member group, and later, the eight became 12.

The guys began extending their range from the barbershop stuff they had been doing, and soon became the group they are today. Somewhere along the line, they even began making albums, the first being a cassette called “On the Map.” It sold out, and so the group decided to make another.

They actually called the second one “SOLD OUT: Sons of Liberty, Devotions and Other Universal Truths.” By then, according to the site, they had learned to switch between the different genres of music they were now handling.

And so on. They began competing, created an invitational concert called UGApalooza, and continued recording.

They now have quite a few discs under their belt, which are of course available from the Web site for $5-$10. Their holiday album is called “Meanwhile, Back at Christmas … ” and features “Silent Night,” “O Holy Night,” “Gaelic Blessing,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light” and plenty more.

“PDA: Public Displays of A Cappella” is a pop rock-out, enveloped in two versions of “We Won’t Sing That Way,” which is a parody of The Backstreet Boys. They also cover The Beatles’ “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” Paul Young’s “Every Time You Go Away,” Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl” and “Faith,” which is a George Michael medley.

The guys will perform at noon on Dec. 2 as part of the Tuesday’s Music Live concert series. Lunch costs $7. Reservations may be made by calling (706) 722-3463.

The concert itself is free. For general info call (706) 724-2485.

43

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Arts: Theatre

Davidson Fine Arts Wins Theatre Competition

By Rhonda Jones

D

avidson Fine Arts Magnet High School Director Betty Walpert was still in the throes of her win at the state literary competition when she spoke to Metro Spirit about the contest and the production that earned them their prizes.

For Walpert and her student actresses, things started getting really interesting around Oct. 25 when they won the regional one-act play competition. After that, they went to the state competition on Nov. 15 and won again.

She explained that the contest divisions work like football divisions: A, AA, AAA, AAAA and AAAAA, where size plays a big part in classifying a school.

But size isn’t everything, she said.

“Our school had the same amount (of students) as a single-A school, but they put us in the triple-A category because we are fine arts school. We compete against schools that are much larger than ours.”

The regional contest was held at Davidson this year, Walpert said, and the state contest was held at Forsythe Central High School in Cumming, Ga. “I actually haven’t been to state in a while,” she said. “I’ve been teaching since 1994. It’s been about five years now at least since we’ve won the region and gotten into the state competition, so just to be there was extremely exciting for me and all of the kids. It was just so much fun.”

Davidson won first place, Walpert said, out of eight competing schools, and Davidson student Christina Watkins won Best Actress. Walpert said that, in addition to Best Actress, there is a Best Actor, and the schools are recognized from first place to fourth.

Davidson Fine Arts has also won some honors closer to home. They’ve been invited to perform at Fort Gordon for the Command Black History Program in February, and their production has been selected as one of four feature shows for Atlanta’s Georgia Thespian Festival, also in February.

The festival is quite an event, she said, with tons of shows and workshops, as well as auditions for college scholarships — and it will be attended by over 3,000 members of the International Thespian Society.

She explained that the international group is like an honor society, and requires the kids to be members before they can attend the conference. In order to be a member, Walpert said, each student has to earn 10 points during the school year working on some facet of a production, with each point equaling two hours of work.

Right: The seven young women of “For Colored Girls … ” Bottom: Kristen Rouse and Joyland Byrd.

I asked her about the show that won them these honors. It’s called “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf,” and it is by Ntozake Shange.

“She’s a renowned black woman playwright,” Walpert said.

“The show is … there’s not a storyline.

It’s really a celebration of the AfricanAmerican spirit — the female AfricanAmerican spirit.”

There are seven characters, she said, each one a nameless AfricanAmerican woman. Instead of names, they have monikers like Lady in Red and Lady in Brown.

Each color, Walpert said, represents a big city. “The different colors represent a different urban area in the country. One is from New York; one is from Chicago.

Baltimore, San Francisco, Houston, St. Louis … Detroit, I think.”

“For Colored Girls … ” debuted in the Los Angeles area, Walpert said. And since Shange was a dancer and an actress with a company of her own when she created this series of choreopoems (poems meant to be acted out), it evolved into a cohesive piece.

It opened on Broadway in 1974. “It got wonderful reviews and it was just a really important piece of literature, especially for the time.

“The play then is a series of poems that represent different struggles or events in these particular nameless women’s lives.

It’s kind of their relationships to their cities, in a way. It’s a very earthy piece and the message is, the women overcome adversity and celebrate their strength and

their heritage.”

She said the end message is, “I found God in myself and I loved her.

“I don’t know,” Walpert continued. “It’s very uplifting, even though there are some very dark moments in the play, and some very real moments even though it’s written in a poetic style. It takes you a minute to get used to the language and then you get into the flow and the rhythm.”

It’s a play she got to know during her own college days in Atlanta, in the 1970s. “I saw it again recently in New York.

It’s always been one of my favorite shows in that it just moved me so much and touched my heart. That is what theatre is all about.”

She said the show has been in the back of her mind since then, but she hasn’t produced it until now because it’s difficult to cast. “You have to have seven really strong black women to do these roles.”

She was completely amazed during the auditions, she said, and chose the following actresses: Christina Watkins (who won Best Actress), Joya Moore, Ashley Curry, Tiffany Hobbs, Kristen Rouse, Tiffany Johnson and Joyland Byrd.

“It’s very dance-oriented, since (Shange) was a dancer. That’s definitely one of the visions I had for the play, was to expand it with dance. It opens with a black spiritual — “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” — and dancers fill the stage,

and it’s just quite beautiful. Then the mood changes to (one of) celebration and the stage is filled with African dancers and live drumming.”

She said that she couldn’t put on the play as it was, however, that she had to cut it to make it appropriate for a highschool audience. And then of course, she had to make sure it fit within the rules of the competition — 55 minutes from bare stage to bare stage.

Judging by the excitement with which she spoke about the competition, Walpert will be enjoying this victory for a long time. “We’ve never won first place for literary before. I’ve never won; our school’s never won; and our county’s never won.”

If you have questions about future Davidson Fine Arts productions, call the school at (706) 823-6924, ext. 122.

45 M E T R O S P I R I T N O V 2 7 2 0 0 3

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M E T R O S P I R I T N O V

Cinema

“The Haunted Mansion”

Movie Listings

2 7 2 0 0 3

Bad Boys II (R) — Vulgar, brazen, crass, violent,

stupid, juvenile, loud, long and pointless — "Bad Boys II" is all that, plus a thin slice of enter taining. The scene is Miami. Marcus (Mar tin Lawrence) and par tner Mike (Will Smith) are back as narcs pledged to double duty: to collar nasty crooks, and to tickle the audience with cute bonding humor. They kick off this par ty by blowing a major drug bust while messing up a Ku Klux Klan rally at the drop site for smuggled dope. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer gives us not story, but the idea of story as gooey plot pizza; not violence, but the idea of violence as car toonish pulp; not style, but the idea of style as shiny pictures for gaping apes; not comedy, but the idea of comedy as compulsive imbecility; not fun, but the idea of fun as a migraine of lavishly cheap jolts. Cast: Will Smith, Mar tin Lawrence, Gabrielle Union, Joe Pantoliano, Jordi Molla. Running time: 2 hrs., 30 mins. (Elliot t) ★ Bad Santa (R) — Two criminals, disguised as Santa Claus and an elf, travel across America, making a tour of major malls and robbing stores. The spree continues until they meet a quiet 8-year-old boy who reminds them what Christmas is really about. Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Bernie Mac, Lauren Graham, Cloris Leachman, John Rit ter.

Beyond Borders (R) — “Beyond Borders” follows the romance between a medical student who finds work in international disaster relief and a wealthy socialite. The two keep meeting in times of disaster and war but still manage to forge a bond. Cast: Angelina Jolie, Clive Owen, Teri Polo, Linus Roache, Noan Emmerich.

Brother Bear (G) — Latest Disney animated of fering about a young man, Kenai, who is transformed by The Great Spirits into a bear. On a quest to gain back his human form, Kenai befriends a bear cub, Koda, and evades his human brother, who, not realizing Kenai has been turned into a bear, is on Kenai’s trail on a revenge mission. Cast: Jeremy Suarez, Joaquin Phoenix, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas.

Bruce Almighty (PG-13) — Jim Carrey is Bruce, the goofy features repor ter on a TV station in Buf falo.

He aspires to become a "serious" anchor, but af ter

blowing his cool on the air, loses his job and has a rif t with his sweet, please-marry-me girlfriend (Jennifer Aniston). There cometh unto Buf falo the Almighty (Morgan Freeman). The Lord loans his powers to Bruce. Time for some payback, some wild stunts, some sexual dazzling of Aniston, some nudges of satire. Like Mel Brooks as Moses in "History of the World, Par t I," Carrey has climbed the comical Mount Sinai and, like Brooks, he has dropped a tablet on the way down. One of the pieces is "Bruce Almighty."

Cast: Jim Carrey, Morgan Freeman, Jennifer Aniston, Philip Baker Hall, Catherine Bell. Running time: 1 hr., 45 mins. (Elliot t) ★★ Cabin Fever (R) — Paul (Rider Strong) hopes that while on a weeklong getaway in the woods, he and Karen (Jordan Ladd) will grow closer. Going along for the ride is self-centered Jef f (Joey Kern), par ty girl Marcy (Cerina Vincent) and boozer-jock Ber t (James DeBello). The five arrive at a time a mysterious plague is sweeping the forest. When a hermit (Arie Verveen) stumbles to their cabin looking for help, the five kill him by accident. He lands face-first into the town reservoir, contaminating the water supply. Af ter Karen is struck with the flesh-eating virus, friends become enemies as the group struggles to survive. Cast: Rider Strong, Jordan Ladd, Joey Kern, Cerina Vincent and James DeBello. Running time: 1 hr., 34 mins.

(McCormick) ★ The Cat in the Hat (PG) — This bulldozing movie has about as much to do with Dr. Seuss’ wit ty and impressively drawn kids' books as Adam Sandler has with Molière. It's a brash defilement of Geisel's most famous work, yet so compulsively cheery that people might try to ignore the obvious. Mike Myers plays The Cat in a big hat and costume of fake fur that stifles his amusing features. He's supposed to be the spirit of wild, impish fun, helping lif t the depressed scamp Conrad (pudgy, likable Spencer Breslin) and his control-freak sister, Sally (Dakota Fanning), a dwar fish total woman who star ts of f each day by making a list.

Director Bo Welch's technique is to just keep hurling (both senses of the word apply). His tireless approach is astoundingly tiresome. Cast: Mike Myers, Dakota

“Bad Santa”

Buena Vista

46

Fanning, Alec Baldwin, Spencer Breslin, Kelly Preston.

Running time: 1 hr., 32 mins. (Elliot t) ★ Cheaper by the Dozen (PG) — Tom Baker, head of a household numbering 14, is of fered a job coaching football at Nor thwestern University. The move to Chicago proves to be a big change for Baker and his wife, as well as their 12 children ranging in age from preschool-age to 22 years old. Cast: Steve Mar tin, Bonnie Hunt, Hilary Duf f, Missy Elliot, Piper Perabo, Alyson Stoner.

Elf (PG) — Years ago, a human boy was adopted by one of Santa’s elves af ter sneaking a ride back to the Nor th Pole in Santa’s bag of presents. Now he’s fully grown, his height and clumsy nature impeding his duties in the workshop. He decides it’s time to travel to the human world and search for his family. Taking a job as a depar tment store Elf, he inspires humans to believe in Santa Claus. Cast: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Bob Newhar t, Mary Steenburgen.

The Fighting Temptations (PG-13) — Cuba Gooding Jr. plays Darrin, a junior adver tising exec with secrets. He's nearly broke and he lied on his résumé to get his job. Then the worst-case scenario happens: His deception is discovered af ter he helps land a major account for the company. Then he learns that his Aunt Sally has passed away and he's expected to at tend her funeral as her last surviving relative. Darrin learns that he'll gain a huge inheritance if he whips the church choir into shape in time for a gospel contest. This is where "The Fighting Temptations" falls into the pit of stupidity. What saves the movie from being a total stinker is the music. As for Gooding, he seems to have confused charm and enthusiasm for acting. Cast: Cuba Gooding Jr., Beyonce Knowles, Mike Epps, Melba Moore, Angie Stone, The O'Jays, Montell Jordan and Rue McClanahan. Running time: 1 hr., 28 mins.

(McCormick) ★★ Freaky Friday (PG) — It’s the updated version of

Dimension Films

the ‘70s film, starring Jamie Lee Cur tis as a frazzled mom and Lindsay Lohan as her rebellious teen-age daughter. The two are constantly arguing and both wish they could be someone else. When their wish comes true and the two end up switching bodies, they have to find a way back to their normal selves – before Mom walks down the aisle again. Cast: Jamie Lee Cur tis, Lindsay Lohan, Mark Harmon, Christina Vidal.

Good Boy! (PG) — Owen Baker, an only child and the brainy son of ninnies, wants a dog — the one he gets is a mut t who proves to be space traveler Canine 2942 from the "dog star " Sirius. Soon the pooch, renamed Hubble, is talking to Owen and the dogs he walks. They talk back (moving lips, and sitcom zings in the voices of Mat t Broderick, Cheech Marin, Brit tany Murphy, Delta Burke, etc.). Owen learns that dogs rule, above all the Sirian leader, The Greater Dane. This is no "Babe," or "Best in Show" for the sub12 set, but Liam Aiken is an appealingly talented kid actor, the photography is glossy, the body function jokes are tame, and messages about love, home and species bonding peg in neatly. Go fetch. Running time:

RATINGS

★★★★ — Excellent.

★★★— Worthy.

★★ — Mixed.

★ — Poor.

1 hr., 28 mins. (Elliot t) ★★1/2

The Haunted Mansion (PG) — In yet another

movie based on a Disney World at traction, a man and his family encounter a spirit while on a visit to a haunted house during a job interview. The presence of the spirit teaches him the value of family. Cast: Eddie Murphy, Terence Stamp, Aree Davis, Marc John Jef feries, Don Knot ts, Jennifer Tilly.

Looney Tunes: Back in Action (PG) —

Director Joe Dante's hip game plan is a double-decker: one deck of enter tainment for kids (and teens who don't scof f at kids' movies), another for the grown, if not greatly more adult, viewers. Brendan Frasier stars with Bugs Bunny, Daf fy Duck and the stable of Warner Bros. car toon characters. Joining Frasier are Timothy Dalton, Joan Cusack, Jenna Elfman and Locklear and Steve Mar tin as the mastermind villian. Running time: 1 hr., 32 mins. (Elliot) ★★★ Love Actually (R) — opens and closes with people hugging and kissing at London's Heathrow Airpor t.

In between, you might yearn to fly away. Top confet ti is the prime minister: Hugh Grant with his sweetly sly grace, but so impishly weightless he seems fit to lead a croquet match, not a nation. Meanwhile, Colin Fir th is recovering from his wife's infidelity by slowly cour ting a Por tuguese housekeeper (Lucia Moniz); sulky Alan Rickman fondles the idea of cheating on his dear, sane wife (Emma Thompson); Liam Neeson, recovering from his wife's death, encourages the puppy love of his kid (Tom Sangster). This giggle-fest is a spree of gag situations, maudlin moments and aggressive pop tunes. If you like Christmas goose stuf fed with sequins, don't forget the chutney Spam with a warm side of chips. Cast: Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson, Colin Fir th, Laura Linney, Keira Knightley, Rowan Atkinson, Alan Rickman. Running time: 2 hrs., 8 mins. (Elliot t) ★1/2

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (PG-13) — The best film yet about men

fighting at sea under sail. Two of Patrick O'Brian's books have been beautifully transposed into a cogent and moving tale of the Napoleonic Wars. Capt. Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and his friend Dr. Maturin (Paul Bet tany) bond tightly despite amusing frictions and lead through storm and shot a stout crew against a French ship larger and bet ter built. It all fits and works like good seamanship, under Peter Weir's direction, manly without fakery. Running time: 2 hrs., 19 mins. (Elliot t) ★★★★ The Matrix: Revolutions (R) — So much expectation, so much budget and now ... this? Yep, a grinding bore with more solemn neo-religious talk about savior Neo (Keanu Reeves), contending worlds (equally ugly) and video game (oops, action) payof fs that cost hugely, but of fer trite satisfaction (hordes of metallic bugs, a leaping fist fight in the rain). Nobody really acts, though Mary Alice is cute as a cookie-baking oracle. Hugo Weaving as the evil, grinning Agent

0— Not worthy.

continued on page 47

47

“Timeline”

“Gothika”

M E T R O S P I R I T N O V 2 7

Paramount Pictures

Warner Bros. Pictures

2 0 0 3

continued from page 46 Smith still seems like an FBI man hysterical about losing J. Edgar Hoover. It's a banal epic, for diehard fans only. Running time: 2 hrs., 9 mins. (Elliot t) ★ The Missing (R) — Maggie Gilkeson, a young mother raising two daughters in the isolated wilderness of the American Southwest, is forced to reunite with her estranged father af ter one of her teen-age daughters is kidnapped by a psychopathic killer. The duo trail the kidnapper as he approaches the Mexican border. Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Cate Blanchet t, Evan Rachel Wood, Eric Schweig, Jenna Boyd, Aaron Eckhar t.

Once Upon a Time in Mexico (R) — Rober t Rodriguez is into roots rapture and giddy, boyish confusion. His movie goes nowhere. Should we emphasize Antonio Banderas as the thick guitar Zorro called El Mariachi? No point in dwelling on doomed love Carolina (Salma Hayek), as she is barely around.

Surely the key interest is not FBI agent Jorge (Ruben Blades). And what of CIA man Sands (Johnny Depp)?

Af ter his eyes are drilled out, Depp looks like Michael Jackson as a Day of the Dead float, and he gets a street vendor kid to act as his gun eyes. Might as well focus on Willem Dafoe as drug hood Barillo, wearing such great Mexican makeup you can't decipher why he wants his face removed. Cheech Marin depar ts af ter the first scene, taking with him all hope for a genuine comedy. Cast: Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas, Johnny Depp, Ruben Blades, Eva Mendes, Willem Dafoe, Mickey Rourke, Danny Trejo. Running time: 1 hr., 45 mins. (Elliot t) ★★ Out of Time (PG-13) — John Billingsley stars as Chae, a drunken wiseguy and pathologist who trades corkers with Police Chief Mat t Whitlock (Denzel Washington), who sloshes through his latest case. The chief is suddenly the big suspect in a double murder caused by arson, af ter his incriminating, illicit af fair with past girlfriend Anne (Sanaa Lathan). Whitlock hustles through a hot day covering up the clues that point to him, while the main detective sleuthing his trail

is his vampy, almost ex-wife, Alex (Eva Mendes).

Dynamic, but obsessively remote from reality, "Out of Time" is like a drive-in movie for a car junkyard. Cast: Denzel Washington, Sanaa Lathan, Dean Cain, Eva Mendes. Running time: 1 hr., 54 mins. (Elliot t) ★1/2

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (PG-13) — The movie will be a

shocker for anyone expecting watery gruel ex tracted from a Disneyland-ride base. This "Pirates of the Caribbean" is an original, with clever plot ting, some rapierlike dialogue and a scurvy crew of first-rate second bananas. When the Black Pearl, the invincible pirate ship commanded by the dread Capt. Barbossa (Geof frey Rush) storms Por t Royal and kidnaps Elizabeth (Keira Knightly), the governor's beautiful daughter, what can her secret admirer, the lowly blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), do but go af ter her? He's forced to team up with the immensely unreliable Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp). The movie lies becalmed when Depp/Sparrow is absent; when he's on screen, it's a rousing good time. Since he's on screen a good par t of the time, that makes "Pirates of the Caribbean" a rousing good movie. Arrrrr! Cast: Johnny Depp, Geof frey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightly, Jonathan Pryce. Running time: 2 hrs., 14 mins. (Salm) ★★★ Radio (PG) — Ed Harris is Harold Jones, the coach of the high school football team in a small South Carolina town. Coach Jones takes pity on James (Cuba Gooding Jr.), a mentally handicapped young man who mutely pushes his shopping car t past the practice field every day, and makes him a kind of team, then school mascot. Nicknamed Radio, he melts the hear t of almost everyone he encounters. A few antagonists enter and exit periodically. The schmaltzintolerant would be wise simply to Fed-Ex seven bucks and a vial of tears directly to Columbia Pictures. Cast: Cuba Gooding Jr. Ed Harris, Brent Sex ton, Riley Smith.

Running time: 1 hr., 46 mins. (Salm) ★1/2 Runaway Jury (PG-13) — Based on a John

Louise Mulherin Classic Garden and

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Grisham novel about at tempts to tamper with a jury in a big New Orleans case, brought by the widow of a broker slain in a mass of fice killing. She sues the maker of the weapon, and the firm's primitively gunhappy boss hires ruthless jury appraiser Rankin Finch (Gene Hackman). The widow's lawyer, Wendell Rohr, is played by Dustin Hof fman. The jury's cool mind is Nick Easter (John Cusack), a sly fella with a secret agenda. His lover Marlee (Rachel Weisz) does the outside work, making Rohr and Finch rival bidders for her jury fixing scheme (for $10 million). The film wallows in cynicism for nearly two hours. This is a streetcar named default and a bad ride. Cast: John Cusack, Dustin Hof fman, Gene Hackman, Rachel Weisz, Bruce Davison, Bruce McGill. Running time: 2 hrs., 7 mins.

(Elliot t) ★ The Rundown (PG-13) — The Rock stars as Beck, a sor t of bounty hunter. He goes to South America to bag the fugitive son of an L.A. thug. The grown kid is Travis (Seann William Scot t). Travis is the wiseof f in an Amazonian town, a hellhole, slave pit and diamond mine ruled by Hatcher (Christopher Walken). Rosario Dawson, her flesh like a sweat mirage, is Mariana, "barmaid by day, rebel leader by night." Sor t of an Indiana Jones jungle par ty for wrestling fans, "The Rundown" does have the Rock, who radiates benign composure — pure nice guy until pushed too far. Briefly we hear the late Johnny Cash: "Don't take your gun to town." Of course, every gun does come to town. Cast: The Rock, Seann William Scot t, Rosario Dawson, Christopher Walken. Running time: 1 hr., 36 mins. (Elliot t) ★★ Scary Movie 3 (PG-13) — The third film in the “Scary Movie” series once again spoofs a series of recent horror hits, fantasy epic films and other pop culture sensations, including “8 Mile,” “The Matrix,” “The Ring,” “The Others” and “Signs.” Cast: David Zucker, Anna Faris, Charlie Sheen, Regina Hall, Denise Richards.

Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (PG) — Now the boyish Juni Cor tez (Daryl Sabara) is a private investigator, the rest of his family away spying, and Juni is

pulled into the evil video game empire of the Toymaker (Sylvester Stallone). He must rise through levels, liberate sister Carmen (Alexa Vega) and prove himself as The Guy. Mostly he must sur f through gaudy storms of computerized ef fects, of ten in 3-D (yes, you wear glasses). There are robots and blue-tongued monsters and frantic chases. For a while, leathery grandpa Ricardo Montalban is liberated by animation from a wheelchair to clank around in a huge metal suit.

Montalban is always a kick, but the movie is about as Hispanic as a pinata made in Taiwan. Cast: Daryl Sabara, Alexa Vega, Sylvester Stallone, Ricardo Montalban, Salma Hayek. Running time: 1 hr., 32 mins. (Elliot t) ★1/2 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (R) — It’s a remake of the original film and based loosely on true events that inspired that film and “The Silence of the Lambs.” A group of friends becomes isolated in the midst of a clan of cannibals. Cast: Jessica Biel, Jonathan Tucker, Eric Balfour, Erica Leerhsen.

Timeline (PG-13) — In the near future, a technology firm has created a working time machine. A history professor uses it to travel to 1357 France, where he becomes trapped. Three students from Yale decide to rescue him, and together the group must deal with the perils of 14th century France, including disease and feudal wars. Cast: Paul Walker, Gerard Butler, Billy Connolly, Mat t Craven, Mar ton Csokas, Ethan Embry, Anna Friel.

Tupac: Ressurection (R) — “Tupac: Ressurection” is the first authorized documentary on the life and death of influential rap ar tist Tupac Shakur and is produced by his mother. The documentary features rare video footage, concer t footage, unreleased songs, home movies, family photos and excerpts from Tupac Shakur’s poetry, journals and private let ters.

Cast: Tupac Shakur.

—Capsules compiled from movie reviews written by David Elliott, film critic for The San Diego Union-Tribune and other staff writers.

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48

Cinema: Review

M E T R O

“The Missing” Shoots for Grandiosity, Misses

S P I R I T

By Rachel Deahl

N O V 2 7 2 0 0 3

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R

on Howard’s grisly and bleak western at first seems an odd choice to open the Thanksgiving weekend. The tale of a brutal hunt to recover a stolen daughter, the film is rife with images and themes about absentee fathers, sodomized mothers and brutalized daughters.

But underneath the genre façade of grit, gunpowder and dirt, the director’s tale is predicated on something very familiar come this time of year; the notion that, in the end, the most important thing we have is family.

Set in a barren New Mexico, circa the late 19th century, Cate Blanchett stars as Maggie Gilkeson, a fierce single mother, raising two daughters on a desolate ranch. The local healer in the territory, Maggie tends to her ranch with her girls and a local cowboy (played by Aaron Eckhart), who doubles as her live-in boyfriend. When the ranch hands are ambushed while out on the range, Maggie arrives at the crime scene to find her lover dead and her eldest daughter (played by Evan Rachel Wood) missing.

With her youngest girl, Dot (Jenna Boyd), in tow, Maggie heads for the nearest town to get help from local law enforcement. The response she gets is disappointing — the sheriff sends a telegraph and tells Maggie that the Army is already tracking a band of Indians lifting young women throughout the territory.

Distraught, Maggie turns to her estranged father for help.

A white man who abandoned his wife and daughter for life as an Indian, Maggie’s father (played by Tommy Lee Jones) had shown up at her ranch days before offering money to his longtime estranged daughter. Now, after turning him away summarily, Maggie asks him

to help her track the Indians who have her daughter.

Stretched over a sometimes indulgent and tiresome two hours and ten minutes, “The Missing” plays like a much longer film than it actually is. A simple tale told in epic fashion, Howard’s film never achieves the grandiosity intended for it.

That said, it is pretty to look at and Cate Blanchett is once again wonderful in another leading performance.

One of the most interesting aspects of the film is the way it explores the particular oddities of racism and segregation during that time. Living in harsh surroundings and, basically, a lawless land (one of the best bits in the film shows the Army men looting a house as the general says he has everything under control), the film exposes how whites, Mexicans and Native Americans were colliding and struggling to coexist. Blanchett’s character, who speaks Spanish and often tends to Mexican patients, repeatedly voices her disdain for Indians. Her father, on the other hand, abandoned white culture to join a tribe. Throughout, references are made to Native Americans who joined the Army to help track members of other tribes. And, as the chase for the daughter wears on, “good Indians” appear to help catch the “bad Indians” — a reminder that, while we were colonizing and killing Native Americans, they were killing each other as well.

Of course, in the end, “The Missing” comments on the melting pot that established the American frontier more than exploring it. And, for all the commenting, the film is still a veiled cowboys and Indians tale — the only difference is the cowboys include a woman and wannabe Indian.

49

Cinema: Review

M E T R O

“Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat�

Should Be Put to Sleep

S P I R I T

By David Elliott

“D

r. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat� is so clearly not for an adult mind — there’s no real story, ideas or shaping rhythm — that it leaves exposed the boggling question: Who imagined it was for kids?

Though approved by Ted (“Dr. Seuss�)

Geisel’s estate, which now seems a highon-the-hog licensing empire, this bulldozing movie has about as much to do with his witty and impressively drawn kids’ books as Adam Sandler has with Moliere. It’s a brash defilement of Geisel’s most famous work, yet so compulsively cheery that people might try to ignore the obvious.

Mike Myers plays the Cat in a big hat and costume of fake fur that stifles his amusing features, his amiably crazed, boyish face (the Austin Powers films only did this partially). In a frenzy of compensation, he makes a pass at Seuss rhyming but mostly forklifts antic slabs of showbiz schtick, including TV riffs, a Martha Stewart spin, a hippie and what seems like mildly gay riffing on Bert Lahr’s Cowardly Lion in “The Wizard of Oz.�

Myers is like Martin Short gone long, and flat. He’s supposed to be the spirit of wild, impish fun, helping lift the depressed scamp Conrad (pudgy, likable Spencer Breslin) and his control-freak sister, Sally (Dakota Fanning), a dwarfish Total Woman who starts off each day by making a list.

Somewhere on her list must be “Kill this movie,� but Fanning never gets there.

A trouper, she stays on task as the vanilla

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vamp of huggability we recall from “I Am Sam� and “Uptown Girls.� What a machine this little widget is — Hillary Clinton can forget her big dream: The first female president will be Fanning.

The movie is a studio jamboree of vaguely Seussian sets, puffed up and hosed in candy-zoned pastel colors. The principle of excess design also swamped “Dick Tracy,� “Lost in Space� and other derivative films anxious to become theme parks. (In this one, Myers does a big, winking plug for the Universal theme park; Universal made this thing with DreamWorks.)

What’s good, or OK? Amy Hill is a sturdy peg of fun as a Chinese babysitter who keeps falling asleep. (How we envy her.) Alec Baldwin plays a rotten boyfriend and aggressive slob. He brings zest to the line, “Nobody likes a suckup,� and we can sense Baldwin yearning to pull out a hot .45 and redo “The Getaway.�

Director Bo Welch’s technique is to just keep hurling. (Both senses of the word apply.) His tireless approach is astoundingly tiresome. He must have realized that Myers was his only chance to save a show that had only been conceived as a budget, but he let Myers turn into a watch-me pig, so pushy he makes Nathan Lane seem like Alec Guinness.

The laughs at a preview showing were mostly medium-tempo and polite. (Free viewers often feel obligated, laughing dutifully.) At least one customer had a good time — a little kid who kept running up and down the aisle, jumping on popcorn kernels.

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REGAL AUGUSTA EXCHANGE 20 Movies Good 11/28 - 12/4 Timeline (PG-13) Fri-Sat: 1:25, 4:10, 6:55, 9:40, 12:25; Sun-Thur: 1:25, 4:10, 6:55, 9:40 The Missing (R) 1:20, 1:50, 4:25, 4:55, 7:20, 7:50, 10:15, 10:45 Haunted Mansion (PG) Fri-Sat: 11:55, 12:30, 2:15, 3:00, 4:40, 5:25, 7:00, 7:40, 9:20, 10:00, 11:50, 12:40; Sun-Thur: 11:55, 12:30, 2:15, 3:00, 4:40, 5:25, 7:00, 7:40, 9:20, 10:00 Bad Santa (R) Fri-Sat: 12:10, 2:35, 5:05, 7:35, 9:55, 12:30; Sun-Thur: 12:10, 2:35, 5:05, 7:35, 9:55 Cheaper by the Dozen (PG) Fri: 7:00 Gothika (R) Fri-Sat: 1:45, 4:05, 7:15, 8:00, 9:35, 10:15, 11:55, 12:35; Sun-Thur: 1:45, 4:05, 7:15, 8:00, 9:35, 10:15 The Cat in the Hat (PG) Fri-Sat: 12:00, 12:20, 12:40, 1:00, 2:20, 2:40, 3:15, 3:20, 4:40, 5:00, 5:20, 5:40, 7:00, 7:30, 9:20, 9:50, 11:30, 12:00; Sun-Thur: 12:00, 12:20, 12:40, 1:00, 2:20, 2:40, 3:15, 3:20, 4:40, 5:00, 5:20, 5:40, 7:00, 7:30, 9:20, 9:50 Looney Tunes: Back in Action (PG) 11:50, 2:10, 4:20 Love Actually (R) 1:15, 4:15, 7:25, 10:30 Master and Commander (PG-13) Fri: 12:25, 3:55, 10:05; Sat-Thur: 12:25, 3:55, 7:05, 10:05 Tupac Resurrection (R) 8:05, 10:50 Matrix Revolutions (R) 12:50, 4:35, 7:45, 10:45 Elf (PG) Fri-Sat: 12:30, 1:30, 2:50, 4:00, 5:10, 6:50, 7:30, 9:30, 9:50, 11:50, 12:20, Sun-Thur: 12:30, 1:30, 2:50, 4:00, 5:10, 6:50, 7:30, 9:30, 9:50 Brother Bear (G) 11:55, 2:05, 4:30, 7:05 Scary Movie 3 (PG-13) 1:10, 3:25, 5:35, 8:15, 10:35 Radio (PG) 12:05, 2:45, 5:15, 7:55, 10:25 Texas Chainsaw Massacre (R) 8:10, 10:35 Runaway Jury (PG-13) Fri-Sat: 9:15, 12:15; Sun-Thur: 9:15 EVANS 14 CINEMAS Movies Good 11/27 - 12/4 The Haunted Mansion (PG) Thur: 3:30, 4:30, 5:45, 6:45, 7:55, 9:00, 10:05; Fri-Sun: 1:15, 2:15, 3:30, 4:30, 5:45, 6:45, 7:55, 9:00, 10:05; Mon-Thur: 4:30, 5:45, 6:45, 7:55, 9:00, 10:05 Bad Santa (R) Thur: 3:05, 5:05, 7:05, 9:05; FriSun: 1:05, 3:05, 5:05, 7:05, 9:05; Mon-Thur: 5:05, 7:05, 9:05 The Missing (R) Thur: 3:50, 6:55, 9:40; Fri-Sun:

12:55, 3:50, 6:55, 9:40; Mon-Thur: 3:55, 6:55, 9:40 Timeline (PG-13) Thur: 4:45, 7:35, 10:00; FriSun: 1:45, 4:45, 7:35, 10:00; Mon-Thur: 4:45, 7:35, 10:00 Love Actually (R) Thur: 4:10, 7:10, 9:55; FriSun: 1:10, 4:10, 7:10, 9:55; Mon-Thur: 4:10, 7:10, 9:55 Gothika (R) Thur: 3:25, 5:25, 7:25, 9:35; FriSun: 1:25, 3:25, 5:25, 7:25, 9:35; Mon-Thur: 5:25, 7:25, 9:35 The Cat in the Hat (PG) Thur: 3:00, 4:15, 5:15, 6:30, 7:20, 8:45, 9:30; Fri-Sun: 12:50, 2:00, 3:00, 4:15, 5:15, 6:30, 7:20, 8:45, 9:30; MonThur: 4:15, 5:15, 6:30, 7:20, 8:45, 9:30 Master and Commander (PG-13) Thur: 4:00, 7:00, 9:50; Fri-Sun: 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:50; Mon-Thur: 4:00, 7:00, 9:50 Looney Tunes: Back in Action (PG) Thur: 3:20, 5:20; Fri-Sun: 1:20, 3:20, 5:20; Mon-Thur: 5:20 Matrix Revolutions (R) 7:15, 9:45 Elf (PG) Thur: 3:15, 5:35, 7:45, 9:55; Fri-Sun: 12:50, 3:15, 5:35, 7:45, 9:55; Mon-Thur: 5:35, 7:45, 9:55 Brother Bear (G) Thur: 5:00, 7:30; Fri-Sun: 12:45, 2:45, 5:00, 7:30; Mon-Thur: 5:00, 7:30 Radio (PG) Thur: 3:45, 6:15, 9:15; Fri-Sun: 1:30, 3:45, 6:15, 9:15; Mon-Thur: 6:15, 9:15 Scary Movie 3 (PG-13) 9:25 MASTERS 7 CINEMAS Show times for Masters 7 Cinemas were not available at press time. Visit w w w.metrospirit.com for show times as they become available.

REGAL 12 CINEMAS Movies Good 11/28 - 12/4 Spy Kids 3-D (PG) 2:30, 4:45, 7:10, 9:10 Out of Time (PG-13) 2:15, 4:30, 7:15, 9:25 Once Upon a Time in Mexico (R) 2:20, 4:35, 7:20, 9:30 Good Boy! (PG) 2:45, 5:05, 7:40, 9:50 Freak y Friday (PG) 2:40, 5:00, 7:35, 9:45 The Fighting Temptations (PG-13) 2:05, 4:30, 7:00, 9:20 Beyond Borders (R) 1:55, 4:25, 7:00, 9:30 The Rundown (PG-13) 2:10, 4:20, 7:05, 9:15 Pirates of the Caribbean (PG-13) 2:00, 4:55, 7:45 Cabin Fever (R) 2:35, 4:45, 7:30, 9:40 Bad Boys 2 (R) 1:55, 4:50, 7:45 Bruce Almighty (PG-13) 2:25, 4:40, 7:25, 9:35

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IN PRINT OR ON THE WEB, METRO SPIRIT IS AUGUSTA’S SOURCE FOR NEWS, ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, AND HAPPENINGS.

51

Music R.E.M.’s Peter Buck Waxes Nostalgic

M E T R O S P I R I T N O V

By George Varga

R

.E.M.’s performance at a San Diego music festival last month presented a logistical dilemma for young and not-so-young rock fans eager to catch all of the fabled Georgia band’s first area show in eight years.

That’s because the second half of R.E.M.’s two-hour set coincided with the first-ever area appearance by the briefly reunited Sex Pistols, who performed a 65-minute show on another stage a few blocks away.

Asked how he would pitch his band over the Sex Pistols to festivalgoers, R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck chuckled.

“How about to hear songs that were written later than 1978?” he said, playfully alluding to the fact the now once-again defunct Sex Pistols’ sole studio album was released in 1977.

Concerned that he might be dissing the once-potent English punk band, R.E.M.’s most loquacious member quickly added: “I love the Pistols and if that’s what you’re going to do, it’s cool with me. Their reunion tour was fun.”

R.E.M.’s tour, which concluded Oct. 11 in Atlanta, included the band’s first San Diego show by Buck, 46, and R.E.M.’s two other remaining co-founders — singer-lyricist Michael Stipe, 43, and bassist Mike Mills, 44 — since original drummer Bill Berry quit in late 1997. (Buck reunited with his former band mates for two songs at the Oct. 11 Atlanta show.)

Berry’s departure came in the wake of R.E.M.’s 1995 world tour, which saw him suffer a brain aneurysm during a concert in Switzerland. Berry’s decision to leave nearly led to the demise of the band, whose latest drummer is former Ministry/Nine Inch Nails member Bill Rieflin. Like R.E.M.’s other post-Berry drummers, Rieflin is a hired hand — not a full-fledged member.

“He’s played jazz improv with (King Crimson guitarist) Robert Fripp, and his solo record is kind of poppy,” Buck said of Rieflin.

“So he can do anything he needs to do. We definitely don’t sound like Ministry!”

But how has Berry’s absence impacted R.E.M., musically speaking?

“It didn’t really affect the (song) writing so much, because we all write,” Buck replied, speaking from the Seattle home he shares with his wife and kids. “It just threw us off for awhile. I miss him as a friend and as a drummer. He doesn’t sound like other drummers; he was a unique talent on the drums, which I think has something to do with how he used the hihat and tom-toms. So we didn’t want to add a drummer immediately after he left. We went in

The three remaining founders of R.E.M., who just released a “Best of” CD, include (from l-r) Peter Buck, Michael Stipe and Mike Mills. the studio and made a record with drum machines and tape loops (1998’s ‘Up’). ‘Up’ was really layered and a totally different situation (than albums with Berry). The last record (2001’s ‘Reveal’) and the new one (due out in 2004) tend to be more performance-oriented.”

A prototypical alt-rock band, R.E.M. became one of the most influential and widely imitated groups anywhere in the 1980s.

“When I started playing music, everything inspired me — folk, The Byrds, The Beatles,” Buck recalled. “I think when that changed was when the four of us started playing together. It really fit and we played well from the beginning. There was something indefinable and we were pretty good right away.

“But there seemed to be a lot of good bands out there in the early ‘80s, like Dream Syndicate, Hüsker Dü and the Replacements. Pretty much every city we went to then had these really good bands, a wave of people who grew up at the

2 7

same time. I’m not sure you would have bet on us for being really successful.

“We were just following whatever it was we did. We didn’t sit down, and say: ‘Oh, yeah, we’ll be totally original,’ and I don’t think we were. But we were the only band like us. I still bump into people who say: ‘You guys influenced us,’ and I think that’s great. That’s part of the reason you do it, to pass it on.”

The band’s recently concluded North American tour was a prelude to the release of “In Time: The Best of R.E.M.: 1998-2003.”

The album also includes two new tunes, “Animal” and “Bad Day.” “When you’ve written as many songs as we have, it’s really easy to fall back on things we’ve done in the past,” Buck said. “When we work together, we think: ‘What can we do that will push the other guys?’ We kind of work for each other’s approval.

“With the early stuff, we were just learning to write songs. Then you discover the use of,

2 0 0 3

say, a relative minor chord, and say: ‘Wow, that’s cool!’ We don’t get excited by that anymore, because now that’s a tool in our vocabulary. So I feel the best idea is your first idea, and (also) to keep that naiveté and not be afraid to keep something stupid.”

In a 1989 interview with the San Diego Union, now-former R.E.M. drummer Berry recalled that his first band, which also featured Mills on bass, played cover versions of songs by the Doobie Brothers.

That first band was so short-lived, Buck recalled, that it never even had a name. But he credits his early musical pursuits for helping him develop skills that have served him well to this day.

“I played with a bunch of people in high school and there’s no substitute for sitting in a room and listening to people play,” Buck recalled. “I find young musicians today may play well and write songs well, but don’t know how to accompany and play well in a band.

“That’s what I learned how to do. To play behind someone singing, that’s 90 percent of what being a musician is; learning when to shut up and when to make noise. That’s the one talent I had right off the bat, being a good accompanist. It’s intuitive.”

R.E.M.’s evolution from an alt-rock college cult band to international stardom was a slow process that took years of touring and recording to achieve.

Buck is convinced that, in today’s flavor of the week, one-hit wonder pop-music world, such gradual growth for a group would be virtually impossible.

“I don’t think you’ll ever see a band that does get successful take as long as us,” he lamented. “Nowadays, you’re gone by the second album if you don’t produce (a hit). We were lucky; we made six albums before we got successful. We were one of the last bands who got out there and played hundreds of shows and made a bunch of records before we reached the public. I feel sorry it’s that way.”

Does he see any remedy in sight?

“Not really,” Buck replied. “All the bands I go see now are (playing) in small clubs and have small record deals. What can you say?

The great mass of people will want to watch reality TV and listen to crappy Top 40 radio.

Except for The Beatles, all the stuff I love — whether it’s jazz or pop music — a lot of it had no real (significant) sales. And some of the people whose music I love had a couple of spurts, made some good records and tailed off.

“We were really lucky that we were critically acclaimed and sold records.”

M E T R O S P I R I T

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M

ICHAEL JACKSON. It’s hard to trust the guy for so many reasons.

Whether dangling his own child from a highrise balcony or singing a song to a rat (“Ben”), the entertainer’s actions have been as peculiar as the changing shape of his nose. Even his uncanny ESP-like past album and song titles that relate to his current legal problems like “Smooth Criminal” “Thriller” and “Beat It” makes it almost too damn easy for the press.

Obviously needing some cash flow (those Cali lawyers sure are pricey), Jackson has issued another hits disc “The Number Ones,” comprised mostly of songs that never, ever made it to the top spot. Let’s face it — if Jackson can’t tell the truth off of the stage, then why should we believe anything the freak says? Besides, if Jackson is guilty as charged in his latest child molestion charges, he’ll have plenty of new subject matter from which to draw for his next studio outing.

Rap and Crap Dept.

Colors and album titles. THE BEATLES had the “White Album,” while REM’s was “Green.” The fabulous JONI MITCHELL’s third solo offering was “Blue,” and both SPINAL TAP and PRINCE considered “The Black Album” for album names. Rappers like JAY-Z, long criticized by many legitimate musicians for lack of originality, has his new two-disc set in the stores this week and its title “samples” the Prince and Tap name “The Black Album.” I know that the music biz is a “Hard Knock Life” and all that, but couldn’t the rapper at least come up with an original title?

Details at 11.

WILCO, one of the best American bands these days, are busy in the studio recording the follow-up to their very successful “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.” “Yankee,” rejected by the corporate geniuses at Warner Brothers, was eventually released by the band themselves and sold millions in the process. Wilco fans who haven’t checked out the extraordinary DVD, “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart,” are missing out on one of the best documentary-type music DVDs ever released.

The RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS new “Greatest Hits” package comes with a cool bonus DVD with assorted videos and other surprises. Look for a new group project from Flea and the guys next year.

Turner’s Quick Notes PUDDLE OF MUDD’s newie, “Life On Display,” is in the stores … Soul and gospel legend AL GREEN’s first secular album in eight years, “I Can’t Stop,” is out now. It was recorded in Memphis with Green’s long-time colaborator WILLIE MITCHELL at the helm … DAVID CROSBY and GRAHAM NASH will record their first duo project since the mid-‘70s early next year. Another CSNY reunion might take place in ‘04 as well … PEARL JAM’s “Lost Dogs” has 31 tracks of hard-to-find songs like “Yellow Ledbetter” and “Last Kiss”… NO DOUBT’s new DVD, “Rock Steady Live,” has Gwen looking great and sounding even better.

Turner’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Jeopardy A. This rocker started the bands Hüsker Dü and Sugar.

Q. Who is Bob Mould?

52

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Duran Duran Still Hungry Those of you who were coming of age in the ‘80s might just remember that The Rolling Stones were hopping back in the saddle yet again, and that people like Roger Daltrey and Paul McCartney – of ancient rock bands The Who and The Beatles, respectively – were getting to the solo portions of their careers. You may also remember that we thought those guys were old as dirt and preferred the slick young cuties like Duran Duran. Well, now it’s our g-g-generation’s turn. Duran Duran have reunited after 18 years, and it ain’t pretty. Well, it ain’t as pretty as it used to be, but they are collecting awards now for their contribution to pop, which is cool.

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Phil Spector Finally Charged With Murder What more can we say? She was found dead of a gunshot wound in his home on Feb. 3. There is a chance, of course, that he could be innocent, but it’s about flipping time this case moved forward.

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The 12 Bands of Christmas A compilation of Christmas songs by artists from Augusta, Georgia benefiting the MCG Children’s Medical Center

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British Band Victim of Cartoonish Accident Thank heavens there wasn’t an anvil on hand. British Sea Power bassist Hamilton decided he wanted to decorate the stage with tree branches and so he shimmied up a tree to get some. But he didn’t take into consideration what a bad idea it would be to saw through the branch that was supporting him.

As a result, he fell and sprained his wrist. The band’s sound engineer, Joe Harling, will take his place for the rest of the tour.

Information compiled from online and other music news sources.

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Watch Out for That Glen Campbell The country singer has been taken off the street because of a Nov. 24 accident involving his BMW, which collided with a Toyota Camry. A witness with a cell phone followed the BMW home and gave police directions.

When officers contacted him, they discovered it was Campbell and, based on how messed up he acted, thought he may be practicing extreme drunken driving, which would place his BAC test above 0.15. They arrested him and, during processing, Campbell kneed an officer in the thigh.

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volume 1

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2003

55

Night Life

M E T R O S P I R I T N O V

Thursday, 27th

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Adams Lounge - Keith “Fossill” Gregory The Bee’s Knees - Moniker Cafe Du Teau - Bernard Chambers Coliseum - Karaoke with Travis, Hi-Energy Dance Continuum - Playa*Listic Thursday Coyote’s - The Rhes Reeves Band D. Timm’s - The Section Finish Line Cafe - DJ Greene Streets - Karaoke The Helm - Karaoke Jeremy’s Nightclub - Karaoke Night with Tim Ba xlet Last Call - Jell-O Wrestling, DJ Rana Michael’s - Mike Swif t Modjeska - Thanksgroovin’ with DJ Richie Rich Robbie’s Sports Bar - DJ Doug Romanella Wheeler Tavern - DJ Dog

2 0 0 3

Friday, 28th

Adams Lounge - Tony Williams and the Blues Express Aiken Brewing Co. - Near Ear th Object Back Roads - DJ The Bee’s Knees - Projections and Selections Blind Pig - Shameless Dave and the Miracle Whips Borders - Josh Pierce Cafe Du Teau - Bernard Chambers Club Argos - Spectral Erosa Coliseum - Alexis Alexander Cotton Patch - Ruskin Coyote’s - The Rhes Reeves Band D. Timm’s - The Section Finish Line Cafe - DJ Fox’s Lair - Live Enter tainment Greene Streets - Karaoke The Helm - Greg Austin Highlander - Tony Williams Jeremy’s Nightclub - Spoken Word, Open Mic, Dance Par ty with DJ Dick Joe’s Underground - John Kolbeck Last Call - Playback with Tutu D’Vyne, DJ Richie Rich, DJ Rana Little Honk y Tonk - Bir thday Par ty with Buster Hymen Marlboro Station - Lauren Alexander Mellow Mushroom - Af ter Thanksgiving Jam with Patrick Blanchard and Friends Michael’s - Mike Swif t Modjeska - Jason Wilson Bir thday Bliss Ms. Carolyn’s - Live Band Partridge Inn - Kari Gaf fney, Jef f Williams The Pourhouse - Karaoke with The Pourhouse Friends Robbie’s Sports Bar - DJ Eric The Shack - DJ Chip Shannon’s - Allen Black Soul Bar - Jive Turkey Disco Hell Stillwater Tap Room - Corn Fusion Wheeler Tavern - DJ Dog

Saturday, 29th Back Roads - DJ The Bee’s Knees - Sweet Nuthin’ Blind Pig - Shameless Dave and the Miracle Whips Cafe Du Teau - Bernard Chambers Charlie O’s - Live Band Club Argos - Glow Dance Par ty

It’s a double dose of Shameless Dave and the Miracle Whips this Friday and Saturday at The Blind Pig. Coliseum - The Stable Boys Male Revue Cotton Patch - Live Enter tainment Coyote’s - The Rhes Reeves Band D. Timm’s - The Section Finish Line Cafe - DJ, Karaoke Fox’s Lair - Live Enter tainment Greene Streets - Karaoke The Helm - Preston and Weston Jeremy’s Nightclub - Open Mic Joe’s Underground - JAR Last Call - DJ Richie Rich, DJ Rana Marlboro Station - Miss Peg Metro Coffeehouse - Live Af ternoon Bluegrass with Eryn Eubanks and the Family Fold Michael’s - Mike Swif t Modjeska - Secret Society with DJ Kenny Ray Ms. Carolyn’s - Live Band Partridge Inn - Sandy B. and the All-Stars The Pourhouse - Pops Williams Robbie’s Sports Bar - DJ Eric The Shack - DJ Buckwheat Soul Bar - Soul*Bar*Sound*Lab Stillwater Tap Room - Sassagrass Wheeler Tavern - DJ Dog

Sunday, 30th Adams Lounge - DJ Cafe Du Teau - The Last Bohemian Quar tet Cotton Patch - Keith “Fossill” Gregory Marlboro Station - Claire Storm Orange Moon - Smooth Jazz Sunday with Emery Bennet t Pizza Joint - Michael and Jayson Robbie’s Sports Bar - DJ Doug Romanella The Shack - Karaoke with DJ Joe Steel, Sasha Shannon’s - Roulet te

Somewhere in Augusta - John Kolbeck T.G.I. Friday’s - Brandon Bower and Friends Wheeler Tavern - Karaoke with DJ Dog

Monday, 1st Coliseum - World AIDS Day Benefit Show Continuum - Monday Madness Greene Streets - Karaoke Joe’s Underground - John Michael’s - Mike Swif t

Tuesday, 2nd The Bee’s Knees - 12 Tone Lounge Blind Pig - Mike and Jayson: Scorchers Lite Coliseum - Tournament Tuesday D. Timm’s - The Section Fox’s Lair - Open Mic Greene Streets - Karaoke Joe’s Underground - John Metro Coffeehouse - Irish Night with Sibin Michael’s - Mike Swif t

Wednesday, 3rd The Bee’s Knees - Heliocentric Cinema Blind Pig - David Bryan and Mark Jones: The Backus Brothers Coliseum - Wet ‘n’ Wild Talent Search Continuum - Open Mic Jam Sessions Coyote’s - The Rhes Reeves Band D. Timm’s - The Section Fox’s Lair - Open Mic Greene Streets - Karaoke The Helm - Karaoke Joe’s Underground - Mike Baideme Last Call - Karaoke, DJ Rana

Michael’s - Mike Swif t The Pourhouse - Mic Fright Therapy Night with Edmond “The Lurch” Kida Robbie’s Sports Bar - DJ Doug Romanella Somewhere in Augusta - John Kolbeck Soul Bar - Live Jazz

Upcoming Teddy Bear Ball - Club Argos - Dec. 5 Rocking the Stocking Benefit - Crossroads Dec. 5-6 Hell’s Bells AC/DC Tribute - Red Lion - Dec. 6 The Men of Argos - Club Argos - Dec. 6 The Nutcracker Comedy Show - Last Call Dec. 10 Chippendales - Coyote’s - Dec. 11 Molly Hatchet - Red Lion - Dec. 12 Lady Chablis - Club Argos - Dec. 12 Christmas with Elvis featuring Russell Shnieder - Last Call - Dec. 12 Battle of the Bands - Hangnail Gallery Dec. 19-20 The 12 Bands of Christmas Benefit - Imperial Theatre - Dec. 21

Elsewhere Drivin’ ‘N’ Cryin’ - Rox y Theatre, Atlanta Nov. 28 Michael W. Smith, Point of Grace - The Arena at Gwinnet t Center, Duluth, Ga. - Nov. 28 MTV2 Headbangers’ Ball Tour - Masquerade, Atlanta - Nov. 29 Sugarland - Variety Playhouse, Atlanta - Nov. 29 Clarence Carter - Macon Centreplex, Macon, Ga. - Nov. 29

continued on page 56

56 M E T R O S P I R I T

SPLASH FOR CASH $1000.00 IN CASH - 3 CONTESTANTS EVERY THURSDAY GET TO

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Get your bluegrass on with Sassagrass Saturday night at the Stillwater Tap Room.

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continued from page 55

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Chevelle - Ear thlink Live, Atlanta - Nov. 29 Jason Mraz - Roxy Theatre, Atlanta - Nov. 30 Bill Gaither Christmas Homecoming Concert Philips Arena, Atlanta - Dec. 6 Martina McBride - The Arena at Gwinnet t Center, Duluth, Ga. - Dec. 6 Placebo - Roxy Theatre, Atlanta - Dec. 10 Mannheim Steamroller - The Arena at Gwinnet t Center, Duluth, Ga. - Dec. 13 That ‘80s Band - Roxy Theatre, Atlanta - Dec. 13 Barenaked Ladies - The Arena at Gwinnet t Center, Duluth, Ga. - Dec. 20 Simon and Garfunkel - Philips Arena, Atlanta Dec. 20 Jim Brickman - Macon City Auditorium, Macon, Ga. - Dec. 23 Derek Trucks Band - Variety Playhouse, Atlanta - Dec. 26 Sister Hazel - Roxy Theatre, Atlanta - Dec. 26 Dave Matthews Cover Band - Variety Playhouse, Atlanta - Dec. 27

Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Arena at Gwinnet t Center, Duluth, Ga. - Dec. 28 Winterfest - Liber ty University, Lynchburg, Va. - Dec. 30-Jan. 1 Drive-By Truckers - Variety Playhouse, Atlanta Dec. 31 Gomez - Variety Playhouse, Atlanta - Jan. 24 Many tickets are available through TicketMaster outlets by calling 828-7700, or online at w w w.ticketmaster.com. Tickets may also be available through Tix Online by calling 278-4TIX, online at w w w.tixonline.com or at their outlet location in Southgate Plaza. Night Life listings are subject to change without notice. Deadline for inclusion in Night Life calendar is Tuesday at 4 p.m. Contact Rhonda Jones or Lisa Jordan by calling 738-1142, fa xing 736-0443 or e-mailing to rhonda.jones@metrospirit.com or lisa.jordan@metrospirit.com.

Prom Night “Under the Sea”

57 M E T R O S P I R I T N O V

Saturday, December 6, 2003 Guys, break out the powder blue tux or put on a snazzy suit.

Ladies, invest in a can of frosted aquanet and put on your best dress, because you are about to relive the magic of prom “Under the Sea.”

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58 M E T R O S P I R I T

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News of the

Weird F

or 23 years, Dennis Hope, 55, of Gardnerville, Nev., has operated a business selling people “official” titles for land on the moon, Mars and Venus for about $20 an acre. Although others are in the same business, Hope told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in September that he has earned $6.5 million during that period (an average of $270,000 a year). He says his idea was based on something he actually learned in school: that the international Outer Space Treaty of 1967 prohibited nations from owning celestial bodies but was silent about individual ownership. Hope says he wrote to the United Nations, explained his plan and asked if they had a problem with it (and no one wrote back).

Alternate Universe While recent drastic budget cuts (and the governor’s failure to get a tax increase from the legislature) have limited Alabama’s Department of Public Safety to placing only five or six troopers on nighttime highway patrol for the entire state, as many as 17 troopers spend all day each Saturday during football season providing security for the state’s 10 college teams. The schools agreed in principle to reimburse the troopers’ expenses, according to an October Associated Press report, but their policies vary, and the department has been lax in collecting.

Weird Science Carl Hanson of St. Paul, Minn., actually obtained a U.S. patent (No. 6,457,474) in 2002 for what he described as a new method for treating heart-related chest pain (as reported in August 2003 by Scientific American). Hanson’s unique invention: He drinks limeade from concentrate. His patent application said that it worked for him, and he wrote out the required details about the structure of the invention, specifically to purchase cans of concentrate, add water, stir and introduce the juice into the body through the mouth (although Hanson wrote that his patent would also cover intravenous administration).

The Entrepreneurial Spirit • In September, the Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, daily newspaper Al-Watan reported that the father of a prospective bride (whose future husband had not yet met her) had established a new dowry-collection strategy by demanding that the prospective husband pay the equivalent of U.S. $300 just to take a pre-wedding glance at the bride (fully clothed, of course).

• Among the themed funeral settings available for families recently at U.S. mortuaries (at $1,000 to $3,000) (according to a September Associated Press report): bales of hay, wagon wheels, cacti, a cowboy boot and a plastic horse (for the loved one who was rodeooriented, at the Palm Mortuary in Las Vegas), and “Big Mama’s Kitchen,” with Crisco, Wonder Bread and fried chicken (for the loved one who was a fan of lavish feasts).

Crises in the Workplace • In August, computer technician Goran Andervass received the equivalent of U.S. $100,000 as settlement of his wrongful-firing lawsuit against Riksbanken, the Swedish national bank, over a 2001 incident that began when a colleague, meeting with him in his Stockholm office, ostentatiously passed gas.

Andervass became very upset and started shouting at the man. Supervisors cautioned Andervass, who began a downward emotional spiral and began to take abundant sick leave, leading to further sanctions and eventually to his dismissal.

• Among the 15 “worst” actual jobs in science (from the October issue of Popular Science): (15) counting fish (one by one, for hours) that swim by dams in the Pacific Northwest; (11) the only two government bureaucrats whose job is to convince Americans of the merits of the metric system; (7) researchers who reach into a cow’s rumen to pull out and analyze the stomach contents; (4) mosquito catchers who endure up to 15 bites a minute on three-hour shifts and hope not to get malaria; (3) researchers who extract sperm from animals for study or artificial insemination (and extracting from a pig is much preferable to extracting from a bull); and (1) “flatus odor judges” working for gastroenterologist Michael Levitt, who feeds subjects pinto beans, then gathers gases in plastic collection tubes direct from the source, and then has judges sniff as many as 100 samples, rating them for strength.

Recurring Themes Daniel Smith, 45, written up for traffic violations after a minor accident in Independence, Mo., in November, became the latest person to take seriously the idea that he could assert a “copyright” over his name and expect the police (i.e., the taxpayers) to pay him $500,000 per use for writing his name on the traffic tickets (plus $1 million as a late fee if the government didn’t pay in 10 days). Smith refused to take his license back from the officer until he was issued a “receipt,” which he pointed out earned him another $500,000.

Making Everyone Perfect The Moscow State Circus, touring Britain in July, told reporters its insurance companies had instructed trapeze artists to wear hard hats during their performances to comply with European Union safety rules. And Beaufort County, S.C., adopted a policy in August that, for two-semester high school courses, a student who fails the first semester would automatically receive an encouraging “62,” no matter how low his actual score.

Also, in the Last Month Lawyer Christian Gauthier was referred for disciplinary investigation because, while defending a client accused of killing a police officer, he was overheard singing the Bob Marley song “I Shot the Sheriff” during a courtroom break (Montreal, Quebec). A 15year-old burglary suspect in lock-up was also charged with theft for ordering $42 worth of adult movies on the jail’s cable television hook-up (Woodstock, Ill.). The eventual winner of the race for president of the Marietta, Ohio, City Council was arrested on the morning of the election on a misdemeanor delinquent-taxes warrant.

— Chuck Shepherd © United Press Syndicate

Brezsny's Free Will Astrology ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Three decades ago, outmoded concepts of God seemed ready for retirement. No thoughtful person could buy into the fossilized delusion that the Divine Intelligence resembled a stern, prudish old man inclined to favor some groups of human beings over others. Since then, however, we have regressed.

Literalist interpretations of the Bible and Koran have temporarily restored the supremacy of the Antiquated Cartoon Deity. More than ever, it’s crucial that we overthrow that fake, Aries. Luckily, you’re in a favorable phase to do your part in the noble work. I exhort you to dissolve obsolete images of God that stifle your relationship with the Real Thing.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

In her book “Writing Down the Bones,” Natalie Goldberg tells aspiring wordsmiths to “Write from your obsessions. They’re going to run your life anyway, so why not harness them?” That’s good advice if you’re an artist in any medium. The consuming fetishes and raging fantasies that threaten to drive you crazy can be converted into excellent raw material for your creative urges. But what if you’re not a novelist or painter or musician or actor? How can you turn your obsessions into assets? Be alert for answers to this question. Cosmic forces are conspiring to bring you crisp new insights.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

As your mating season gets into full swing, I suggest you browse through a book called “Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice to All Creation,” by evolutionary biologist Olivia Judson. Your mind may be blown wide open as you learn how experimental some animals are in their approach to sex. You’ll read, for example, about dolphins that try to copulate with turtles and seals, orangutans that masturbate with sex toys made of leaves and twigs, female chimpanzees that average 10 trysts a day with numerous lovers, homosexual romps among manatees and female seahorses that impregnate their male partners. I’m hoping that by expanding ACROSS

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

This horoscope has been scientifically formulated to raise your spontaneity levels and condition you to thrive on the unexpected. Do not attempt to use logic to understand it. Like a Zen koan, it is meant to give your non-rational mind a workout, thereby preparing you for what cannot be prepared for. Here goes. Find meaning in runaway shopping carts and flaming marshmallows. Seek silk and cashmere interventions in the midst of a secret test. Drum up feral breakfast conundrums with wicked, lickable angels. Welcome violins and snakes at the heart of the cool mistake.

Scribble treasure maps on naked promises. Search for messages from the future in the warm glow of yesterday’s shock.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

You’re the best antidote for all the unoriginal thinking that’s going on around you. There may be other people who have the power to overthrow the numbing status quo, but only you have the charm to do it in a graceful way that doesn’t offend everyone and damage future collaborative efforts. So be a cheerful rebel, Leo. Unleash your iconoclastic fervor with the intention of making life more fun and interesting, not more annoyingly complicated.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

“Time porn” is defined by www.wordspy.com as “TV shows and other media that portray characters having excessive amounts of spare time, a thing we covet but cannot have.” “Seinfeld” and “Friends” are especially obscene examples of this phenomenon. I’m hoping, Virgo, that in the coming weeks you will renounce any attraction you might have to this perverse form of vicarious enjoyment. Instead, fight and claw to procure for yourself the real thing: an abundance of free, unscheduled hours when you can sit around doing nothing in particular.

33 Reaction to

1 Sports climax 6 Bespectacled

New York Times Crossword Puzzle

your definition of what’s “natural,” you’ll lose any shame you might still have about your own harmless though exotic erotic tastes.

“Scooby Doo” character 11 Cousin of an adder 14 Way too heavy 15 Bean products?

16 Biz bigwig 17 Le Prince de Galles and La Villa Beaumarchais 19 Longtime cable inits.

20 Sign of success 21 “Mona Lisa,” for one 22 Controversial body builder 24 He and she 26 Prefix with technology 27 “You can fry an egg on the sidewalk today!”

fluff?

34 Les États-___ 35 Pose 36 Flying formations 37 Bumpkin 39 “Toodle-oo!”

40 Go out 41 It’s a gas 42 Prayer ___ 43 Resources for the troubled 47 Richard of “A Summer Place” 48 Dog-eared 49 “Klondike Annie” star 52 “The Purloined Letter” writer 53 Sentence fragments?: Abbr.

56 Letters on an F.B.I. list 57 Zinger … or this puzzle’s theme 60 Home: Abbr.

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE C A P O O P A L W E L D T O C O S H A M A L A T E X A V I S G E T A I F R E S N O O L A R O A D E T T A S E T

S D O W N A L L O W I N G

B A R M S

A R A B

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K O F N A L O T O T E G H A S S B L O T C O O L L U R T I E O N E O N N E U E X N E W M S E R O R K E D I N A I D B A E M E A A G L A D G O

F U G A L

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61 Anatomical

suffix 62 Flower shop bouquet 63 1951 #1 hit for Johnny Ray 64 Scruffs 65 Jockey DOWN 1 Stylish dressers 2 Support beam 3 1951 Peter Ustinov historical role 4 “Try ___ might …”

5 African monarchy 6 Johnny-jumpup, e.g.

7 When some summer reruns are broadcast: Abbr.

8 Popular jeans 9 Fountain treat 10 Gives in 11 Not be juvenile 12 High school grad-to-be’s “illness” 13 Winter skating venue 18 “The Farmer in the Dell” syllables 23 Inspiring word 25 “Isn’t that always true?”

27 Arctic vessel 28 “King Creole” setting 29 “___ yer old man!”

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

The National Center for Atmospheric Research reports that the average cloud is the same weight as a hundred elephants. I suggest you use this fact as a metaphorical touchstone in the coming week. Are there any situations in your life that seem insubstantial but that are in fact quite massive? Can you think of any influence you regard as ethereal or feathery that might ultimately have the impact of a ton of bricks? This is the week you should check to see if outer appearances match up with what’s inside.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

So you decided to leave your comfort zone. You dared to scare yourself for a good cause. Having researched all the options, you found the skydiving school with the best safety record. Later, fully trained, you felt reasonably confident as you went up in the plane and hurled yourself out the door into the emptiness.

Hallelujah! Your parachute opened successfully. Your descent was smooth. Alas, at the last minute a strong wind blew you away from your target and your chute got snagged on a tree. Now you’re safe and sound, but stranded high above the ground. What’s next?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

The good news, say scientists at Sweden’s University of Uppsala, is that global warming will never melt the ice caps or create endless summers in Toronto. That’s because — here comes the bad news — oil and gas supplies will run out far sooner than expected. There’s not enough of the stuff left on the planet for humans to create a dangerous excess of carbon dioxide. The scientists believe oil reserves are 80 percent smaller than generally predicted, and will peak in 2010. Let this possible scenario serve as a stimulus for meditations about your long-term future, Sagittarius. What sources of energy, money and love that you now depend on may be gone in 15 years? What can you do to begin cultivating replacements? Visualize the life you’d like to be living in 2018, and start planting seeds you’ll harvest then.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

“The abyss has its own rewards.” Ancient Greek myth attributed this motto to Hecate, goddess of the crossroads and queen of the night. Can you imagine what those rewards might be, Capricorn? To prepare you for your adventure in the coming weeks, I suggest you brainstorm about them now. While you won’t be descending all the way to the yawning pit at the

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Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski

31 Rock’s ___

Tuesday 32 Series ending 33 Le menu word 37 “You called?”

38 “La-la” lead-in 39 Part of the alloy britannia 41 It may be right up one’s alley

42 Irritableness 44 “Haste makes

waste,” e.g.

45 Talking points 46 ___ Hubbard 49 Playwright Connelly 50 Room for Ricardo 51 Klutzy move

53 “___ have

thought …?”

54 Baldpate 55 One with a print

outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre 58 ___ Bo 59 Poona title

For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.20 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554.

Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. Online subscriptions: Today's puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($34.95 a year).

Crosswords for young solvers: The Learning Network, nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

bottom of the abyss, you will spend time in the middle and upper levels. Believe it or not, this will be a good thing. It’ll bring fantastic opportunities to shed delusions, expose and heal repressed emotions and free yourself from bondage.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

In times past no one was allowed to study the Qabalah until age 40, after having raised a family and gathered a wealth of life experience. The mystical doctrines were thought to be at best useless and at worst dangerous to younger seekers. The rule has now been waived, however. At this critical juncture in humanity’s evolution, we need all the wise folk we can get, even at the risk of unhinging those who aren’t ripe enough to apply the esoteric truths with integrity.

I mention this, Aquarius, because the understandings you’ll be exposed to in coming weeks would qualify you to study Qabalah no matter what your age. You’ll be offered chances to dramatically expedite your maturation. If you’ve been emotionally stunted or deprived of learning adventures in any way, now’s the time to fix that.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

What seems like bad luck is not always caused by the whims of fate. Sometimes it’s the result of dumb decisions and their consequences. Take the “Curse of the Bambino.” It has supposedly prevented baseball’s Boston Red Sox from winning the World Series since they got rid of future Hall of Famer Babe Ruth in 1920. But the real reason for Boston’s enduring mediocrity is less occult: the racism of its owners.

After Jackie Robinson finally integrated the game in 1949, they lagged far behind in signing black players.

Not until the 1990s did the Red Sox fully catch up with other teams. Let this be a goad to your meditations, Pisces. Think about parts of your life that have seemingly suffered from bad luck. Identify the past events that are the true cause, and devise a forceful plan to dissolve the karma.

— © Rob Brezny You can call Rob Brezsny, day or night, for your Expanded Weekly Horoscope

1-900-950-7700

$1.99 per minute • 18 & over • touchtone phone required • C/S 612-373-9785 • www.freewillastrology.com

59 M E T R O S P I R I T N O V 2 7 2 0 0 3

60 M E T R O S P I R I T N O V 2 7 2 0 0 3

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’m a 44-year-old woman who’s recently become single. Most of the men who ask me out are in their early to mid-30s, but I’ve gotten to know a really special guy who happens to be 22. He’s asked me out, and I’d like to accept, but I’m flat-out afraid. I know most men my age wouldn’t hesitate to date a 22-year-old woman, but I’m still worried we will alienate our respective friends and families. Then again, this would just be a date like any other. So why am I so cautious?

— Mrs. Robinson It isn’t just Demi and Ashton. With a growing number of older women cruising frat houses for boyfriends, there’s a whole new market for those wearable panic buttons hawked to the elderly on TV: “Help! I’ve fallen in love, and I can’t get up!”

Think of all the money you’ll save by collapsing under peer pressure before the first date! Invest it wisely. If, after you put The Kid out of your mind, you manage to land yourself a geezer, you might be inspired to chip in a few coins toward his portable defibrillator ... or just the occasional oxygen tank. That said, one of the major pluses of dating a much older man is giving society the warm fuzzies that you’ve found a surrogate daddy with a lifetime of earnings to fill the traditional male “provider” role. Moreover, a guy twice your age is unlikely to have his mother lingering around, badgering him to find a woman whose eggs aren’t past the “sell-by” date. There are side benefits as well to collecting a human antique; for example, no need to bother hanging upside down in a latex catsuit in hopes of keeping the relationship alive, since the main concern will be keeping the boyfriend alive.

But, why force yourself into a vintage model when you really want the latest thing? Maybe you make all your decisions by taking a poll: at lunchtime, you get up on a restaurant table and ask people to vote on whether you should have chicken salad or ham. If so, by all means, toss the hot young thing and go old goat-hunting. Just be clear on why you’re doing it: because being happy matters less to you than being an accessory for other people’s comfort level.

Regarding those who feel alienated because you’re doing what makes you happy; well, they aren’t friends, just acquaintances with frequency.

The truth is, most people really don’t care what you do, except for what it says about them: If others your age can’t get their minds (or their thighs) around somebody 22, well then, you shouldn’t either. According to H.L.

Mencken, that’s the definition of puritanism: “The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.” Sure, there will be issues related to the age difference — just as there would be issues with an “age appropriate” (but perhaps otherwise inappropriate) boyfriend.

Work out any sticking points between you — long before you present yourself as an item to a volunteer jury of your peers.

Should you and 22 become boyfriend and girlfriend, squelch any naysayers by brazenly copping to all their suspicions. If somebody snipes that you two must have little to talk about, sigh in agreement, “Yeah, it’s pretty much limited to ‘don’t stop, don’t stop,’ night and day.”

Refocus the conversation on all the things you have in common; for example, you’re both about the same distance from The Diaper Years; in his case, Pampers; in yours, Depends. The bottom line wisdom to convey? You shouldn’t date anybody you could have given birth to — unless, of course, they ask. ____________________________________ My ex-boyfriend doesn’t want me back, but he still e-mails me frequently. After my last evening spent missing him terribly, I vowed to sever all contact. As it happened, I couldn’t ignore his next two e-mails (his best friend’s mom died, and he adopted two rabbits). I love hearing from him, but it makes it hard for me to remember we don’t have a future together.

Should I tell him not to write? Or next time, should I just not respond?

— Still Listening Stop the presses, the guy has two new pets.

We were all with you on the need to respond to the first e-mail; perhaps with something along the lines of “So sorry about your friend’s loss, and I must be moving on.” But, suddenly, the story went from tragically sad to short, bucktoothed, and furry — and off hopped all your credibility.

Don’t blame your ex for continuing to correspond, despite your sternly worded telepathic messages, and don’t leave him twisting in the wind, which is rude and mean. The next time he e-mails you, briefly (and sweetly) inform him that it’s the end of the written line — death, floppy ears and any remaining mangy tales notwithstanding.

— © 2003, Amy Alkon

Karaoke Bar

Got A Problem?

Corner of Greene & 11th Street • 823-2002 Mon-Fri 3pm-3am • Sat 6pm-2am

Write Amy Alkon 171 Pier Ave., Box 280 • Santa Monica, CA 90405 • e-mail AdviceAmy@aol.com

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,call 1-866-832-4685

To respond to ads using a WHOLE LOTTA LOVE SBF, 33, would like to share movies, dinners, quiet evenings at home, the usual dating activities, with a great guy. ☎463610 MORE THAN AVERAGE Slender SBF, 53, 5’2”, independent, Aries, smoker, loves music, conversation, laughter.

Seeking independent, mature SBM, 48-65, for friendship first. ☎369627 STILL SEARCHING SWF, 47, 5’8”, 148lbs, Sagittarius, smoker, interests vary, seeks SWM, 37-48, for LTR. ☎342017 A LOT TO OFFER SWPF, 39, 5’2”, 155lbs, loves, sports, dining out, cooking, movies, walks in the park, playing pool, travel, dining out. Seeking young man, with similar interests, for friendship and companionship. ☎321666 ENVELOPING EMBRACE Kind-hearted SBCF, 52, non-smoker, enjoys dining out, attending church. Seeking loving SBCM, 52-65, with similar interests. ☎287845 FIRST TIME AD! Employed SBF, 35, no children, wants to meet a laid-back, spontaneous man, 33-41, race unimportant, to get to know as a friend and maybe progress to more! ☎280007 A GOOD-HEARTED WOMAN Honest SWF, 5’4”, long dark brown/hazel, would like to meet a trustworthy SWM for a good, honest, open relationship. I smoker, so another smoker is preferred. Grovetown. ☎111411 SERIOUS ABOUT LIFE SBCF, 50, 165lbs, Scorpio, N/S, church-goer, mother of one, seeks outgoing, christian SBM, 50-60, N/S, with good heart, who is serious, for LTR. ☎885036

MAYBE YOU’RE MY LADY Honest, friendly SM, 46, auburn/green, likes scuba diving, motorcycles, travel, Elvis, documentaries. Seeking SF to share happy times, talks, and possible relationship. ☎776373 HELLO LADIES SM, 51, enjoys fishing, travel, movies, quiet moments. Seeking attractive, nice, ambitious, open-minded, non-judgemental SF, with big heart, who loves the lord, to share friendship, good times and possibly love. ☎620256

We Purchase Fine Swiss Watches, Estate Jewelry and Diamonds.

Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm 2635 Washington Road | Augusta, Georgia 30904 | 706.738.7777 www.windsorjewelers.net A LITTLE TLC DWM, 47, hardworking, secure, seeks SWF, 35-46, who wants a LTR. ☎627154 OPEN-MINDED GUY SBM, 5’11”, 20, well-groomed, Capricorn, N/D, N/S, enjoys basketball, friends, dining, music. Seeking nice, real woman, 18-25, for LTR. ☎800701 I’M INTRIGUED...

Male, 5’10”, athletic build, 30, Scorpio, N/S, seeks woman, 21-48, with interesting views and something to say. ☎801577 CIRCLE THIS AD SWM, 5’ 10”, Average build, 45, Gemini, smoker, with salt-n-pepper hair, loves cooking. Seeking fun loving WF, 30-45, for friendship, possible romance. ☎762032 WITH ME, YOU’RE IMMORTAL SWM, 30, 5’8”, 175lbs, brown/blue, Sagittarius, lasagna lover, smoker, seeks WF, 27-33, for movies, dinner, and dancing. ☎709192 DOWN FOR WHATEVER SBM, 18, 5’7”, Scorpio, N/S, student, seeks BF, 18-21, N/S, with a good head on her shoulders. No games. ☎799082 STARTING OVER Non-smoking SM, 19, 5’11”, 155lbs, brown/brown, medium build, likes movies, travel, sports, reading, quiet evenings at home. Seeking outgoing, adventurous SF, 1821, N/S, for LTR. ☎752673 A LOT TO OFFER easygoing SWM, 5’ 11”, Athletic build, 23, Cancer, N/S, seeks woman, 18-35, for friendship, possible romance. ☎761055 DONT PASS ME BY SWM, 41, Sagittarius, smoker, who enjoys cooking. Seeking Attractive WF, 30-50, to date. ☎752123

ACTUAL NICE GUY Independent, professional SBM, 5’ 9”, Average build, 30, Pisces, with a nice smile, N/S, seeks woman, 27-37, N/S, for friendship, possible romance. ☎751873 CALL ON MY Active, fun and intellectual SBM, 5’ 11”, Slim build, 20, Sagittarius, smoker, seeks woman, 20-24, smoker, for friendship, possible romance. ☎755250 CAN WE TALK ?

Spiritual SWM, 44, Capricorn, smoker, who enjoys the Fall. Seeking AF, 30-50, for LTR. ☎755341 ACTUAL NICE GUY Handsome, outgoing, open-minded SWM, 5’ 11”, Average build, 51, Leo, smoker, enjoys traveling. Seeking woman, 40-50, for LTR. ☎733850 DO YOU LIKE 2 TRAVEL SM, 59, sociable and fun, enjoys bingo, dining out, movies, travel, more. Seeking sincere, happy, spontaneous lady for possible LTR. ☎774081 FUNNY GUY SBM, 30, 5’9”, brown/brown, medium build, N/S, into sports, movies, dining out, friends, quiet times. Seeking down-to-earth, romantic SF, 29-35, who knows what she wants. ☎718864 HERE I AM! SM, 43, likes playing golf, the outdoors, nature, country music, some rock-n-roll.

Would like to get together with a young lady, 27-45, who likes the same things. ☎703650 COMMITMENT-MINDED SWM, 5’7”, slim build, new to area, enjoys reading, movies, dining out, travel, sports.

Seeking SF, 25-47, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. ☎695638

Stud Finder YOU HAVE 6 NEW MATCHES

HIKER HEAVEN SWF, 45, full-figured, N/S, enjoys church, exploring, old movies, auctions, and gym.

Seeking WM, 46-56, N/S. Let’s make tracks together. ☎807679 ADVENTUROUS MOM SBF, 29, Cancer, N/S, loves beaches, horror movies, and horseback riding. Seeking man, 25-40, N/S, strong-minded, who loves kids ☎808682 COULD THIS BE YOU? SBF, 45, 5’4”, full-figured, Taurus, N/S, enjoys church, dining out, reading, and quiet times at home. ISO BM, 45-65, N/S, for LTR. ☎810309 HI! I’m a 49-year-old SWF and I WLTM a onewoman’s man, very lonely person. I WLTM a gentleman who would to be good to me and treat me w/kindness and gentleness. ☎793024 SEARCHING FOR MR RIGHT SBPF, 39, Libra, loves church, traveling, movies, and dining out. Seeking SBPM, 3760, for possible LTR. ☎421273 LOVES TO BOWL WF, 48, petite, Capricorn, N/S, enjoys Chicano cuisines. Seeking WM, 46-59, N/S, very outgoing, for LTR. ☎806136 SEEKS SIMILAR SWF, 23, Capricorn, N/S, 5’2”, 190lbs, brown hair, enjoys sports, walks, dining, cuddling.

Seeking SWM, 20-33, N/S, for possible relationship. ☎800318 NEVER SAY NEVER SWF, 41, 5’2”, blonde/blue, cuddly, new to area, Kentucky girl, Capricorn, N/S, enjoys cooking, waterfalls, kissing, long walks.

Seeking WM, 38-46, for friendship, and who knows? ☎686314 WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE? SWF, 48, Cancer, N/S, seeks WM, 40-56, who wants to have a great relationship. Why not give me a call? You never know. ☎511453 LOOKING FOR YOU SWF, 37, 5’6”, Scorpio, N/S, enjoys mountains, bowling, the beach and music. Seeking WM, 35-48, N/S, to be a companion, friend. ☎456544 A VERY SERIOUS WOMAN SBPF, 34, mother of 3, nurse, independent and secure, enjoys church, movies, dining. looking for commitment-minded, level-headed, spiritual, spontaneous, respectful man, who truly appreciates a good woman. Sound like you? ☎777612 LOOKING FOR LOVE SWF, 24, blonde/brown, attractive, compassionate, easygoing, desires SWM, 24-34, honest, open-minded for friendship and companionship. ☎323553 GOOD GIRL Attractive SWF, 38, 5’4”, 145lbs, blonde/hazel, N/S, Pisces, enjoys outdoors. Seeking tall SWM, 30-42. ☎864247 AQUARIUS SEEKING SWF, 46, 5’6”, smoker, enjoys cuddling, movies, gardening. Seeking honest, handsome SWM, 40-50, with similar interests, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. ☎759515 MY OTHER HALF! SF, 46, 5’9’’, loves art, camping, fishing, animals, just getting away, relaxing. Seeking SM, 40-50, with the same interests. ☎732412 TRAVEL, ANIMALS... and movies make me happy. SWF, 53, Capricorn, N/S, loves the fall and spring and visiting Gatlinburg, TN. Seeking WM, 55-56, for LTR. ☎728854

LEASING W/OPTION TO BUY SBF, 30, fun, outgoing, romantic Pisces, N/S, enjoys song writing, music, traveling, and conversation. Seeking man, 30-50, for friendship and more. ☎567142 BE MY FRIEND Attractive SWF, 29, 5’7”, 129lbs, brown/brown, N/S, no kids, never married, seeks SWM, 20-37, in shape, friendship first, possible LTR. ☎945103 THE LORD, ABOVE ALL SBCF, 38, Pisces, N/S, in the medical field (works private duty), would like to meet SBCM, 38-50, who shares my love of the Lord, for LTR. ☎727626 FRIEND IN FAITH SBF, 47, Capricorn, N/S, involved with church, very creative, artistic, designs tile and cards.

Seeking BCM, 44-58, involved with church, who loves the Lord. ☎707742 SOUND IN MIND SWF, 40, 5’6’’, brown/green, mother, Pisces, N/S, N/Drugs, seeks attractive, good guy, sound in mind, body, and soul, for friendship, dating, possibly more. ☎701180 I LOVE ROSES SBF, 31, likes dining out, movies, travel, sports, music. Seeking SBM, 31-40, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. ☎675623 SOMEONE YOU KNOW? Full-figured SBF, 62, 5’11”, H/W proportionate, brown/brown, loving, likes church, singing, movies. Seeking a good man who knows what he wants. ☎676011 SOUTHERN BELL SBF, 50, with a pretty face, wants to meet a BCM, who loves to dance, shop and needs more fun in life. ☎660334 SINGLE MOM Plus-sized female, 29, 5’3”, brown/hazel, cute, independent, enjoys conversation, movies, dining out. Seeking a man with a life of his own and would like to share mine as well. ☎634069 FIRST TIME AD Attractive SBF, 27, light-complected Pisces, non-smoker, seeks BM, 26-30, non-smoker, who is honest and interested in a long-term relationship. ☎603443 YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO SBF, 39, Leo, N/S, seeks BM, 38-45, down-toearth, very direct and straightforward, to have fun with. ☎582549 I’D LIKE TO HEAR... what you have to say. SBF, 18, 5’5”, darkskinned, pretty, Aries, N/S, enjoys shopping, vacations, and movies. Seeking a man, 20-28. ☎578781 RAINY DAYS AND COOKING... are a few of my delights. DBF, 38, 5’5”, 125lbs, pecan tan complexion, laid-back, down-toearth, Aquarius, smoker, N/D, seeks BM, 3045. ☎569952 JUST BE THERE FOR ME SBF, 23, 5’2”, Pisces, N/S, enjoys traveling.

Seeking a romantic WM, 25-31, N/S, for LTR. ☎576613 MAKE YOUR OWN DESTINY Loving, intelligent SBF, 34, seeks SBM, 3545, for companionship, long walks, movies, dining out and more. ☎550597 SINGLE MOM SEEKING SBF, 20, Gemini, N/S, mother of twins, likes going to the park, spending time with family, going to the mall, movies, seeks compatible SBM, 18-35, N/S. ☎532672 ARIES/TAURUS DWCF, 52, 5’4”, brown/green, likes the beach, playing pool, sailing, flea markets, dining, movies at home, stargazing. Looking for tall, honest, kind, affectionate, Christian man, 3958. Let’s adore each other. ☎479572 DON’T PASS ME BY SHF, 18, 5’1”, 126lbs, short/brown, would like to meet a guy for bowling, dancing and romance. ☎463061

N O V

Mobile Dating. The easiest way to meet great people.

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ABBREVIATIONS

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M B D F H C LTR

Male Black Divorced Female Hispanic Christian Long-term Relationship

G W A S J P N/D N/S

Gay White Asian Single Jewish Professional Non-Drinker Non-smoker

Become a member of Augusta’s hottest new way to meet singles! Call today!

2 7 2 0 0 3

62

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M E T R O S P I R I T N O V 2 7 2 0 0 3

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To respond to ads using a FROM THE HEART Handsome, outgoing, fun, young-looking SWM, 42, Virgo, N/S, seeks WF, 34-46, who likes to go out and is very nice. ☎605027 HEART OF GOLD SWM, 31, 6’3”, 210lbs, brown/blue, enjoys reading, movies, travel, sports. Seeking outgoing, attractive SF, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. ☎556440 LOOKING FOR MS. RIGHT SWM, 37, 5’9”, 180lbs, enjoys biking, sports, travel, dining out. Seeking outgoing, attractive SF, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. ☎557954

TAKE A CHANCE GWM, 43, 6’2”, 195lbs, black brown, seeks other GWM, for fun times and maybe something more. ☎493530 SEEKING SOMEONE SINCERE GWM, 42, 5’11”, 175lbs, brown/blue, somewhat masculine, outgoing and friendly, likes dining out, travel, movies and shopping.

Looking to meet honest, passionate SBM, with similar interests, for dating, possible LTR. ☎769411 GREAT PERSONALITY SBM, 18, 6’3”, 220lbs, masculine build, seeking SBM, 18-29, very masculine, energetic, fun-loving, to go out for dinners, walks and more. ☎627150 FRIENDSHIP FIRST GWM, 26, 5’3”, athletic build, N/S, likes sports, working out, travel, reading, swimming. Seeking non-smoking GW/AM, 20-26, with similar interests. ☎764332 HEALTHY AND FIT SBM, 25, 5’5”, 170lbs, masculine, nighttime inventory stocker, Capricorn, N/S, enjoys working out. Seeking energetic, passionate, masculine WM, 20-50, N/S. ☎708544 A LOT TO OOFER Outgoing SWM, 5’ 10”, average build, 44, Capricorn, smoker, seeks WM, 40-50, smoker, to date and enjoy a lifetime companionship. ☎691527 DONT MISS OUT Fun-loving GWM, 24, likes sports, dining out, movies, quiet evenings at home, music.

Seeking romantic, affectionate GM, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. ☎675371 SEEKING FRIENDSHIP SBM, 6’1”, 214lbs, enjoys indoor activities.

Seeking masculine SW/BM, honest, sincere, who is looking for new friendships. ☎737679 SPRINGTIME BLOOM SWM, 33, with an education in business, seeks a man who loves country music, karaoke, springtime, and making a connection with a good person. ☎659296 ROAM IF YOU WANT TO SWM, 42, loves cool weather and the renewal of Spring. Seeking a man who is strong both physically and emotional. ☎661792 SEA OF LOVE SWM, 29, Pisces, smoker, 5’7”, 175lbs, swims like a fish, likes water-skiing, bowling, movies, time at home, seeks compatible SWM, 30-40, for LTR. ☎647347 LOOKING FOR LOVE Outgoing, spontaneous, loving, down-to earth SBM, 24, Sagittarius, non-smoker, seeks man, 19-50, to date and enjoy life. ☎602634 MASCULINE AND FIT SWM, 39, Libra, smoker, 5’8”, brown/brown, masculine, works out, fit, likes movies, riding bikes, camping, cooking, time at home. Seeks SWM, 30-43, with similar interests. ☎545309 RELAXING AT HOME SBM, 35, Virgo, N/S, likes relaxing at home, fun, concerts, trips going to the beach. Seeks fun, spontaneous SBM, 26-37, N/S. ☎532700

How do you

A NEW START Retired, fit, outgoing GWM, 44, enjoys walks, movies, sports, reading. Seeking outgoing GM, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. ☎527836 LET’S MEET FOR COFFEE Good-looking GWM, 36, 6’, 200lbs, muscular, tan, enjoys working out, yard work, spending time with my dogs. Looking for attractive SM, 32-48, for dating, maybe leading to LTR. ☎436231 ME IN A NUTSHELL WM, 18, brown/blue, medium build, looking for fun, outgoing, energetic guy, 18-30, for movies, hanging out, quiet evenings at home, and more. Friends first, maybe becoming serious. ☎425471 ENJOYS ALL THAT LIFE HAS GWM, 40, shaved head, goatee, Pisces, smoker, seeks very special, attractive, strong, fun-loving GBM, 30-50, for dating, possible LTR. ☎257126 YOU CAN MAKE MY DAY Male, 60, Cancer, N/S, seeks a WM, 49-65, N/S, for casual relationship. Why not call me? ☎927707

DIVA WITH DIMPLES Independent DWF, 23, Gemini, smoker, enjoys hip-hop, R&B, and country music.

Seeking WF, 20-30, smoker, for friendship, possible romance. ☎808179

You’ll consume

GET TO KNOW ME SBF, 25, Taurus, N/S, enjoys movies, travel.

Seeking woman, 21-30, N/S, for friendship, possible romance. ☎803723 WHY WAIT? SWF, 38, 5’6”,140lbs, short brown hair, easygoing, enjoys playing golf, the beach. Seeking feminine female, 20-40, to have fun times and more. ☎448489 OPEN-MINDED CHIC Broken-hearted GWF, 30, Libra, smoker, seeks woman, 20-45, to mend my heart. Let’s not be afraid of who we are. ☎370110 A LOT TO OFFER Non-smoking GBF, 37, N/S, seeks very attractive, unique, romantic, fun, intelligent, feminine GF, 27-37, for friendship, dating, possibly more. ☎749660 A NEW BEGINNING Attractive and outgoing SWF, 5’ 5”, Athletic build, 20, Aquarius, smoker, loves the outdoors, camping and hiking. Seeking WF, 2150, for LTR. ☎751226 JUST THE FACTS SBPF, 41, Libra, N/S, seeks PF, age and race unimportant, who enjoys dining out, quiet times at home, and movies, for LTR. ☎730225 A REFRESHING CHANGE SWF, 30, Libra, smoker, is hoping to find it in a woman, 25-45. Will show a lot of a affection. ☎307177 SEEKING STRONG FRIENDSHIP BiWF, 27, 5’8’’, 145lbs, student, enjoys romantic comedies, fall, quiet restaurants. Seeking female for clubbing, shopping, dancing, dining, movies, television. ☎700095

LOOKING FOR A FRIEND GBF, 38, black/brown, medium build, N/S, likes dining out, movies, travel, sports.

Seeking kind, sweet, honest GBF, 30-38, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. ☎695904 ENJOYS BOWLING SBF, 32, Gemini, N/S, 5’3”, 145lbs, mother of one, enjoys movies, the mall, dining, going out to eat, bowling, quiet times at home, seeks woman, 21-38, for friendship, possible romance. ☎646271 GIVE ME A TRY GWF, 27, 5’7”, 150lbs, brown/blue, enjoys dancing, movies, travel, conversation.

Seeking attractive, warm GF, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. ☎553580 LOOKING FOR LOVE GBF, 19, enjoys reading, movies, dining out, travel, sports. Seeking GF, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. ☎554721 LOVES CHILDREN Easygoing, nice SF, 32, looking for someone with the same qualities, 29-39, and a people person. ☎388943 BEAUTIFUL AND FEMININE GWF, 32, 5’7”, 135lbs, enjoys reading, movies, dining out, travel, sports, music, movies. Seeking GWF, 25-39, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. ☎329063 FRIENDSHIP SBF, 38, 5’7”, slim, fit, seeks SF, for friendship and fun. Must be outgoing, love to wine and dine, travel, movies and theater. ☎878217

3,476 calories at Thanksgiving dinner. © 2003 TPI Group

SEEKS WARRIOR QUEEN Warrior SBM, 29, likes movies, horseback riding, travel, romantic evenings. Seeking warrior queen, 18-29, with similar interests. ☎695792 LOOKING FOR YOU SWM, 43, Taurus, smoker, likes funny movies.

Seeking WF, 29-35, smoker, for friendship, possible romance. ☎693348 GETTING TO KNOW YOU SWM, 54, Libra, N/S, loves baseball, jogging, and swimming. Seeking WF, 40-55, for friendship, possible romance. ☎685199 A SMILE SAYS IT ALL Easygoing SBM, 32, new to area, enjoys dining, sporting events, quiet times home.

Seeking SF who enjoys sports and doesn’t always need to be on the go, for romance, LTR. ☎683984 WELL-ROUNDED MAN Educated SBPM, 41, 5’11”, loves reading, working out, the arts, dining out, travel, quiet times. Would like to meet SWF, 30-45, with similar interests, for fun, friendship, and maybe more. ☎442021 ARE YOU LOOKING 4 LOVE? you’ve found it! Honest, trustworthy SM, 33, enjoys drives, cruises, quiet times at home, time with friends, good conversations.

Seeking communicative, outgoing, intelligent lady to share friendship and maybe relationship. ☎681924 HANDY MAN Medium-built, tolerant, clean, financially secure DWM, 48, 5’10”, Aquarius, smoker, with a good sense of humor, enjoys cooking, house work, gardening, reading, music, cuddling. Seeking woman, 35-55, for long-term relationship. ☎607612 PRINCE CHARMING SM, 25, 6’, 180lbs, brown/brown, truck driver, likes movies, reading, dining out, dancing, sports, travel. Seeking mature, outgoing woman who knows what she wants. ☎675675 SINGLE DAD Attractive, outgoing SWM, 27, 5’6”, 160lbs, likes movies, dining out, travel, conversation.

Seeking outgoing, caring woman, 18-35, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. ☎677721 WAITING FOR YOU SBM, 19, with a brown complexion, wants to meet a woman who is through with games, for the fun stuff of life. ☎656637 OUT OF THE ORDINARY SWM, 21, smoker, likes Nelly, break dancing, ideal date would be dinner followed by something out of the ordinary, such as time at the shooting range, seeks SBF, for LTR. ☎651750 ALL EARS SBM, 26, Gemini, N/S, very outgoing, loves working out, easygoing, loves to have fun, seeks outgoing woman, 19-31, who likes to have fun. ☎654007 COLLEGE-EDUCATED SWM, 51, 6’1”, 193lbs, with blue eyes and a laid-back attitude, seeks a woman with a spontaneous, creative spirit. ☎434997 MAKE ME LAUGH SWM, 19, 5’10”, 165lbs, dark features, goodlooking, seeks very outgoing woman who can adapted to most any situation, possible relationship. ☎631029 SEEKING CHRISTIAN WOMAN Friendly, committed, independent SBCM, 43, 5’11”, enjoys quiet evenings. Seeking attractive, committed, independent SBCF for friendship, possible LTR. ☎796760 COMPANIONSHIP SBM, 34, enjoys cooking, dining out, movies, sports and more. Please consider me for a candidate for a relationship with you. Don’t miss this opportunity. Call! ☎619405 WORTH A TRY SWM, 21, seeks SF, 20-30, who loves having fun, has a good personality and is looking for a lasting relationship. ☎622681 MAYBE IT’S YOU? SM, 36, 5’11”, enjoys working out, auto racing and car shows, mountains, beaches and more. Seeking easygoing, honest, fun-loving SF to share these with, friendship first, possible LTR. ☎625970

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Mind, Body & Spirit

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RAY WILLIAMSON & ASSOCIATES Private Investigations 17 years experience Domestic Relations and Child Custody Cases Licensed and Bonded in Georgia & Carolina 706-854-9672 or 706-854-9678 fax (11/27#8263)

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UPCOMING EVENTS:

Fri - Dec. 5 - Teddy Teddy Bear Ball - Call for details 481-8829 Sat - Dec. 6 - The Men of Argos, presented presented by Stables, Inc. Fri - Dec. 12 - Lady Chablis Argos welcomes Gay, Gay, Lesbian, Bi, BDSM, Swingers, TVTS & all open-minded patrons. patrons.

1932 Walton Walton Way Way (706) 481-8829 newclubargos@aol.com

C A R D R E A D I N G S

Mrs. Graham, Psychic Reader, Advises on all affairs of life, such as love, marriage, and business. She tells your past, present and future. Mrs. Graham does palm, tarot card, and Chakra balancing. She specializes in relationships and reuniting loved ones.

341 S. Belair Rd. Open from 9 a.m. til 9 p.m.

Call (706) 733-5851

THE COLISEUM

Premier Entertainment Complex & High Energy Dance Music Friday, November 28th

Employment

• Alexis Alexander

Saturday, November 29th • Hot Male Strippers The Stable Boys

Monday, December 1st

• World Aids Day Benefit Show

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1632 Walton Way • Augusta, GA

706-733-2603

Email: ColiseumAugusta@aol.com

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READINGS BY

MRS. GRAHAM SPECIAL READINGS WITH CARD

Thanksgiving ThurThur- Karaoke Dance Party with DJ Daddy Bear Open @ 9:00 Fri - Nov. Nov. 28 - Spectral Erosa Erosa Goth Night Check out the new dance floor Sat - Nov. Nov. 29 - Glow Dance Party Free Free Glow Sticks Never a Cover in the Tower Tower Mon - Absolut Monday $2 Absolut Screws Screws and Cape Cods Tues - Movie Night - Pizza - $3 Beer Bust Wed - Argos Rave Party w/ DJ BJ No Cover - Free Free Draft - Free Free Glow Sticks 2-4-1 Jello Shooters

1 Hour Massage — $30

Full Body Massage!

Therapeutic tension relief, intense or tender touch, rela xing music, aromatherapy, by appointment only - $49.00/hr.

Call Joy - 706-771-9470 or John - 706-868-5598 (11/27#8277) Diamond Massage Therapy Dr. Scot tie Diamond and our qualified staf f of professionals of fer in home massage therapy, migraine relief, pedicures & manicures.

Appointments can be made 24 hrs a day.

Wow! that means we come to you at your convenience. Call 803-827-9300.

(11/27#8288)

Turn Your “Trash”* Into Cash!

Sell your unwanted items or advertise your garage or yard sale in Metro Spirit Classifieds.

Call 738-1142 We accept VISA or Mastercard. *And remember ... one person’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Augusta Best Buy Hotlist reveals 10 best buys in your specific price range. Free recorded message 1-877-276-7219 ID#1040. Re/Max Masters, Inc. (11/27#8290)

Premier Investigations •Domestic •Child Custody •Background Checks •Cover t Surveillance 869-1667 (11/27#8289)

Religion Metropolitan Community Church of Our Redeemer A Christian Church reaching to all: including Gay, Lesbian, and Transgendered Christians.

Meeting at 557 Greene Street, 11 am and 6 pm each Sunday. 722-6454 MCCOurRedeemer@aol.com www.mccoor.com (11/27#8128)

Travel

Services

Poor Water Drainage?

• French Drains • Gutter Drains • Catch Basins • Erosion Control • Waterproofing • Crawl Space

GUARANTEED SOLUTIONS

Wheels

Dead Bodies Wanted

We want your dead junk or scrap car bodies.

We tow away and for some we pay.

706/829-2676

OR

706/798-9060

LICENSED • INSURED

706-869-9988

www.sundownconstruction.com

SANTA VISITS 771-1924 (11/27#8268)

Call 738-1142 to place your Classified ad!

Happy Holidays from your friends at Stanhopes Gifts Tired of the crowds? Shop online in the safety of your own home.

Hundreds of items! 40% off everything! Orders over $100.00 receive a FREE “MYSTERY GIFT!” Offer ends 12/10/03

www.stanhopesgifts.com Toll Free 1-877-324-4387

Call 738-1142 to place your Classified ad!

M E T R O S P I R I T N O V 2 7 2 0 0 3

PECAN SAMPLER 1704 CENTRAL AVENUE AUGUSTA, GEORGIA 706.736.1800 • 877-PECANS-1 WWW.PECANSUNLIMITED.COM MONDAY-SATURDAY 9-6 OR BY APPOINTMENT